Magic
by aurlyza
Summary: A strange incident leads Draco and Harry to discover that their life stories are written in several mysterious books. Apparently there are still many untold ones in between the lines and yes, the multifaceted Universe really is a mind-boggling subject. A whimsical DraRry and FeltCliffe love tales combined. Cross-dimension.
1. The Ancient Star Watches

**Pairing:** Draco/Harry **AND** Tom/Daniel **Genre:** Romance/Humour/Fantasy/Cross-dimension **Rating: **R **Disclaimer:** I don't own any known characters belonging to the Harry Potter universe or nor do I have any liaison with certain recognisable and gorgeous real people out there either. **Warning:** Not Beta-ed o-O

**Storyline**

A strange incident leads Draco and Harry to discover that their life stories are written in several mysterious books. Apparently there are still many untold ones in between the lines and yes, the multifaceted Universe really is a mind-boggling subject. A whimsical DraRry and FeltCliffe love tales combined.

* * *

**Magic**

**~The Ancient Star Watches~**

* * *

_The realm of magic rules far and beyond, it defies the limited mind of resonance, a mystery that spins older than time itself but the veil linking through the unseen does exist and love is the only tool magical enough to pierce through the worlds._

As Harry turned away from the painted portraits that resided all of Hogwarts predecessors and prestigious Headmasters and Headmistresses, he was beaming full force.

Finally, finally the Wizarding world was at peace again. Today marked a brand new beginning, a different and a more promising sky altogether.

"You reckon I should let Draco have his wand back, mate?" he mumbled to Ron as they clambered over the gargoyle, which by now had discarded its earlier lopsided poise to favour a knocked out fainted one. "I mean, I have my wand back already and although the Hawthorn is mighty impressive, it's really Draco's, not mine."

Ron's response came by way of a jaw dropping slack and a sudden halt of his brisk steps, resulting in Hermione who was hurrying close behind to ram straight into him.

"Ophh!"

Ron quickly grabbed Harry to reclaim his about to fail upright posture when the spiral stone staircase, which usually crawled real slowly when it was escalating up or down but apparently was experiencing severe malfunctioning due to the raging battle beforehand, had chosen that particular moment to shot downwards at a tremendous speed.

"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione squealed and the next thing Harry knew, the three of them had landed at the bottom of the cold hard and dirty floor in a tangled heap. "You could've warned me!"

Ron grunted crossly and simply made to pry her off him, very gently though, obviously not wanting to put a damper to their not even a day aged old relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Sorry, Hermione…" Harry heard him mumble and had to resist rolling his eyes whilst straightening his skewed glasses when she blushed before Ron rounded on him next. Fiercely too. "What was that all about, Harry?"

Harry scratched his head as he picked himself up. "I just thought that Draco should have his wand back, that's all, Ron," he intoned to his best mate, voice incredulous. "Who stepped on your tail anyway, mate? I know Draco isn't exactly the…"

"I approve, Harry," Hermione interjected with a serene gleam in her eyes and then a moment later was glaring at Ron. "Don't you worry about someone who's just being an immature prat and…"

"Yes, yes return it or do whatever you think is right, mate," Ron interrupted with a quelling glance at his girlfriend. "Did you hurt your head or something because how come it's now Draco this and Draco that and not Malfoy anymore, Harry."

Now it was Harry's turn to gape. Ron couldn't have summed it more precisely. When did Malfoy suddenly become Draco to him anyway, he pondered quietly.

"Oh come on, Ron, I mean your dad and Lucius don't go Malfoy-ing and Weasely-ing all the time and they're not even friends, I think it's something got to do with the complicated world of being a full-fledged adult to be able to overcome petty childish trivia like that and we're all adults now."

Hermione, as usual without being asked had shared her inequitable wisdom to settle the complicated issue of first name basis before heading off to catch some direly needed snooze at the Girls' dormitory upon them reaching Gryffindor Tower.

After all, no man would like to be branded a petty boy and that included Harry.

"Yeah, okay, I guess its Draco now huh," Ron complied grudgingly and then promptly wore a satisfied smirk on his face as he made to toss his tattered jeans and sweaters away to litter the floor. "Oh how I'd love to frame the look on that prat's face when I spit out his given name in his face though…."

Harry snickered at the implied visual. "Just give me a few hours to recuperate, I'm beat, Ron."

His best mate of all times joined together was already serenading his snores away in his own four poster bed.

"Smooth, Ron, real smooth."

As Harry tucked himself into bed, Ginny inevitably ventured into his thoughts and his lips curved into a grin. He made it alive after all and they could now get back together again. She was perfect and an absolute dream for any bloke in every way, Harry continued grinning like a smitten idiot as he flicked his wand to charm a cooling draught to parry the rather humid air.

Harry's inane grin promptly faded at the feel of solid, reassuring warmth gracing his palm and fingers. Disarming Draco from the Hawthorn just didn't sit well with his in bred Gryffindor traits of him being it's true owner albeit temporarily because he really intended to return it now that he had his Holly repaired.

Yet during the short term while the Hawthorn was serving him, right till the end too, he felt an inexplicable affinity with it already. Unlike Bellatrix's wand that felt all eerie and full of defiance as Hermione claimed, Draco's wand took to him immediately.

"Merlin…"

Harry's blood ran cold all of a sudden when another thought hit him. If he hadn't grabbed the Hawthorn from Draco then perhaps the end result of him defeating Voldermort would be made almost, if not entirely impossible, wouldn't it?

Not meaning to sound conceited but even though Harry admitted his internal magical prowess was nothing to be sniffed at, he was aware that at the mere age of seventeen… going eighteen soon, he was far from attaining his full strength yet.

For him to duel based on his limited skills alone… Now that was really something to really sweat about.

Oh, just give it a rest, Harry scolded himself. The heavens were clearly in his favour so he had better just be grateful about it already.

"Sleep damn it…"

Harry forcefully shut his eyes with a deep drawn out sigh. His whole body felt weary to the bones but his mind just refused to shut down. Tossing and turning on the bed only made it worse.

"Aghhh… so infuriating…" Harry opened his eyes again only to stare up at the ceiling.

Something had been bugging him ever since those last few moments before that final showdown with Voldermort, something about the ownership of the Elder wand, about Draco being its master and not Snape but he simply couldn't quite put a finger to it.

"Merlin, that's it!" Harry shot upright and then bit down his excitement when Ron stirred.

Merlin, Gods, Draco, Harry chanted somewhat deliriously, slipping his back on the bed again.

Draco's pale, gaunt face, up close, separated by a mere few inches from his was full of reluctance and fear when the blond was practically forced by Lucius to identify Harry back at Malfoy Manor, ran a lingering flashback in his mind.

And it certainly didn't take much effort for him to wrestle those wands from Draco.

Draco was physically stronger despite his slim frame but of course Harry would never admit it out loud to the prat for as long as he lived because Draco would never let him live that down, but oh the insufferable prat was definitely much taller which was rather unfair and Draco looked way better than him too and the bloke's hair was always infuriatingly shiny and bloody neat and… stop it, Harry cajoled his thoughts which were straying out of context.

The thing was, why, why would Draco of all people help him anyway. No, it didn't make any sense at all. Draco was probably distracted by the going on back then. Wait, pretty unlikely though, the blond was a very shrewd and careful bloke, wasn't he? There was no way he would let his guard down on such a crucial time and… zip it already, Harry chided silently again.

For now let's just leave it that Draco was distracted, end of story.

It was Dumbledore who made it all possible for him. Yes, of course it had been Dumbledore all along.

Just like the case whereby the Headmaster must have known somehow that Ron would regret his move of abandoning them halfway through the hunt and that was why the Headmaster had left his best mate the Deluminator so that Ron could find them again.

So of course Dumbledore in his capacity as the greatest wizard ever since Merlin had somehow anticipated that Harry would stupidly allowed himself and his mates to be captured and that Harry would win the wands from Draco.

No, that was utterly illogical, how could Dumbledore possibly have known all these events? Time-turner? Maybe, that's a possibility… but Harry was always under the impression that the magical time device could only be turned backward and back to the present, not the future.

It was something about messing with karma or cosmos or whatever. Honestly Harry didn't see the difference. To change the past was already triggering a ripple to future timeline, he reasoned intelligently.

Damn it, this was all so maddening, Harry groused, quite unconsciously now handling all three wands in his hands, his mind eventually slipped deeper and deeper into the past.

_I never meant to consciously hurt you_…

Harry clamped his eyes tight, trying his hardest to block away that one truly horrifying memory that would forever be branded in his thoughts.

Their Sixth year had marked a profound turnaround for them both. It was not a harmless, laughable, juvenile game between them anymore. That bloody Sectumsempra incident jolted him into fully understanding how immensely deep and dangerous Draco's plight really was.

_I would've helped you out, Draco_…

Again Harry found himself relieving yet another memory, the one that had Draco pointing his wand at Dumbledore, and looking so tormented with anguish and hopelessness that it was, bluntly speaking, heart-breaking.

It would take nerves of steel, lots of guts and a bountiful of conscience to lower one's wand and outright defy Voldermort's allotted task, especially if one's own life was at stake.

That heart stopping moment had carried a sense of reckoning of the most absurd sorts for Harry and his heart went out to Draco.

Harry shuddered. Through the link he shared with Voldermort, he had seen how Draco was made to pay for his failure to take another life. Now that he was at it, Harry found it kind of bizarre if not baffling, but most times when he was having trouble sleeping at nights whilst on the hunt for the Hocruxes, it was Draco who haunted his mind and not Ginny.

_Oh please, I'm being totally biased..._

As fast as it had come, Harry firmly pushed his bafflement away. It was to be justified wasn't it? Ginny had the warmth of family and friends who would watch her back. Draco had to deal with Voldermort up close and personal, no contest to that.

Lucius obviously was a spineless cad in protecting his only son. It was fortunate that Draco had Narcissa as his mother. If Harry was always left pondering where Draco had gotten that ounce of bravery in him, it was answered at the Forbidden Forest, Draco got it from her.

Harry had never given much thoughts about Narcissa but her boldness in lying through her teeth about Harry being dead when he was very much alive had played a majorly critical role in Voldermort's eventual downfall. Narcissa had proven that beneath her icy and yet fine looking exterior, yes she was undeniably a classic beauty despite having stuck her nose up at everyone, she really did have plenty of solid strength of her own.

Even though that act of kindness was done out of love for Draco, Harry was nevertheless grateful. He understood a mother's love only too well. He was alive because of it.

Love was indeed a most powerful force, the basis of all greatness in magic, the only thing that could unravel and overcome all odds because love was the source of the wonderful and yet ominous mystery that surrounded the intriguing realm of magic itself.

_Hmmmm..._

Harry's forehead puckered slightly, someone had told him that or at least the gist of it, he thought. Oh right, how could he forget, it was Dumbledore. He vaguely recalled the Headmaster telling him about some locked room in the Department of Mysteries containing that most powerful source itself, love.

A most forlorn expression promptly sat on his face. That pep talk about love came about right after the Prophecy incident.

The same incident that took Sirius away from him forever, the same one that ended Lucius to have a stint in Azkaban. That was what perhaps caused the real rift between him and Draco.

_Grrrrrrr..._ The next moment though, saw Harry grinding his teeth away. _You prat, you could've gotten us killed..._

He would love to wring Draco's neck and ruin his handsome face as well and… what was that, did he just refer to Draco as handsome. No, he didn't, he was just exhausted because his brains was running overdrive and refused to let his poor eyes fall asleep.

Anyway, last night, he couldn't help feel obtusely disappointed with Draco for that Fiendfyre foolishness. Who could blame him? Even though he had established the fact that Draco didn't have any killer bones in him, the prat certainly had no qualms about turning him in to Voldermort and… and… finally it clicked.

"Draco Malfoy, you're such an impossible arse! I was right after all! You did give me your wand!"

Harry quickly bit his tongue when Ron grunted in his snores and promptly raised his, no, Draco's wand, silently thinking that if he were to be constantly mumbling, sighing, exclaiming in addition to swearing loudly like a demented person all to himself, he had better do so real quietly. He wished he knew why that prat always, always and always managed to induce some kind of impossible stupor into him.

The worse part was, Draco wasn't even here and yet he had the power to agitate him nonetheless.

"Silencio…"

Where was he, wait, he had to calm his breath first. On second thoughts, it would be better to run his theory again, just to be certain. Firstly, why would Draco risk wasting precious time in insisting to let Harry find the Diadem when the blond could simply just disarm him at first sight and claim his glory just like what Crabbe and Goyle were crowing about.

Harry found himself fervently leafing through certain pages of the past again. For a sixteen year old wizard to singlehandedly repair the Vanishing Cabinet unaided, Draco was without a doubt an exceptionally brilliant individual.

Even Hermione wouldn't be able to do that but of course Harry would never tell him that, no way, the prat's head would grow even bigger and his smirks would get even wider and not to mention… oh please, what was he on about now, Harry frowned, get back in line, he told himself furiously.

"In your proud roundabout way, you wanted and you've always wanted it to end in my favour haven't you, because only then you'd be totally free from his torments but admitting that to me would obviously blow a huge dent to your impossible ego."

There, much better. Hearing his own voice was somewhat useful in blocking his mind from rambling out all those random nonsense which he swore he didn't know had come from where but once the words were truly out of his system, they just wouldn't stop barreling in rapid procession.

"Dumbledore could only anticipate people's moves and he certainly couldn't have known what the future would bring because if he could then he would be the almighty God already instead of keeping Hogwarts in order and… damn it, stop rambling!"

Harry slapped himself hard to fall back on track because he so needed to get everything flushed out from his thoughts. There, better, he winced at the sore on his cheek.

"Point is, someone as bloody God damn brilliant as you would definitely have known about the Hocruxes and Deathly Hollows and now I understand why Dumbledore admitted there's a slight flaw in his plan, it was only after you disarmed him that he realised your real intention and.."

Harry's heart was hammering so hard against his chest that he could hear the beats thundering in his ears but he wasn't finished yet, no sir, far from it.

"…a very honourable intention I have to admit, even if I hadn't gotten myself caught by the Snatchers and held captive in your home, your plans wouldn't have foiled, you only need to let me disarm you another day but us getting caught was an unexpected bonus to your plan wasn't it?"

If Harry noticed that his voice was growing louder by the second he didn't give a damn because nobody could hear him anyway. Did Draco really think he wouldn't be able to figure everything out? Fat wish, he crowed.

"Your only worry was that I didn't have enough knowledge about wandlore after I figured out about the Elder wand, that's why you didn't leave like the rest because you wanted to drop some useful hints to me in your usual annoying way but you clearly hadn't counted for those two blithering idiots to insist on staying behind, had you?"

Harry had to pause to make way for his lungs to appreciate that exceptionally deep breath he just gulped.

"That was when too you knew the Diadem was a Horcrux and also as a last resort you brought to my notice about your wand, you're counting on me to unravel who the true owner of the Elder wand was, which I did, thank Merlin I did, Draco."

There, he solved it at last and he had learnt to trust his instincts enough to know he was right.

Harry knew he could do it. He knew he could find what was denying him his very much needed rest, he grinned before letting out a most inglorious yawn when the long awaited drowsiness finally came round. Talking out loud was really useful to exhaust his already exhausted body further, he nodded reverently.

Sighing contentedly away, Harry let his eyes fall shut with a smile, not the silly sort of smile whenever he thought of Ginny, a different kind of smile. It felt way different too. It's one of those smiles that made him feel all light, free and truly rested.

One of these days, when Draco and he were not so cracked up in the head or when they had perhaps outlived their unhealthy boost of Everest sized egos, maybe, perhaps maybe they could redeem their missed camaraderie. There was no longer Voldermort to stand in their way.

After all, whether they both like it or not, they did owe each other their lives.

"Oh, I almost forgot…" he mumbled dazedly and with the slightest of move of his fingers, twitched all three wands.

"Finite…"

Then just before Harry slipped into oblivion, his mind latched onto yet another infuriating piece of vague thought but this time his body decided to take full charge and a few seconds later Ron Weasely wasn't the only one who could be heard snoring gloriously away.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

"You've been flipping that book over and over, dear…" A pretty lady who looked about thirty or so, casually dressed in slacks and a tweed sweater, one hand clutching a notebook leather satchel whilst the other expertly balancing several thick books, was seen making her way leisurely to the Fiction section. "Do you want it?"

The petite boy looked up, flashing her a most adorable grin. "Yes, please, I haven't read anything like this before, Mom."

"Oh?" The mother beamed, obviously pleased. "Since when has reading been your favourite pastime?"

Said boy looked affronted for a second.

"I always read, you just didn't see it," he pouted but in the next instant his deep set ocean-blue starry eyes sparked with an excitement like no other. "Mom, is there really such a thing as magic? This story seems pretty intriguing."

His mother burst into fits of loud giggles.

"What?" The boy frowned.

"Intriguing? My, my, such a big word for someone your age, you sure you know what it means…"

"Mom!" he cried indignantly as he ran his fingers to swipe away the long strands of errant fringe from his face. "I know I'm not as smart as you yet but I do know what it means and…"

"Okay, alright," she soothed, critically eyeing his thick hair, shaded in the darkest hue of brown and then broke into a fond grin. "Let's go trim that unruly mop of yours after this…"

* * *

___*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_  


* * *

The huge bookstore was always a favourite haunt among adults, teenagers and children alike, especially on a weekend afternoon, particularly on Saturdays.

"There you are!"

The handsome lanky boy sporting neat, sandy-brown hair, slightly startled by the interruption, spared the caller, a pleasant face middle-aged lady a smirk before turning his attention back to the book, leafing through the pages with overzealous enthusiasm.

"Another fishing book?" she smiled, wrapping an affectionate arm around his shoulders. "Doesn't look like it…"

"Mom, no, I've got enough of those, this one is about some wizard named Harry Potter," he told his mother in earnest, an animated shine clearly dominant in his greyish, light-blue eyes, "poor boy, he's an orphan but actually a very powerful wizard and…"

"And you wish to own the book," she intervened with a knowing look, gently prying the book out of his grip. "Hmm… didn't know you'd be so into this genre of fairy-tale stuff, dear…"

"Fairy-tale is for babies, Mom," he responded, miffed, snatching the precious book back from her, quite ignoring her teasing snort, "this is magic, Mom, magic, Merlin and all those stuffs, very, very intriguing, you'll love it."

"You mean you'll love it," his mother amended, prizing him a smirk for his effort, already fishing out some notes from her clutch bag, "go stand in the queue, dear, I'll be in the magazine section…"

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

Dragon's beautiful light, dormant for centuries of light years bloomed out a slight ray. He wasn't really a dragon of course, how could a star be a dragon anyway, Dragon scoffed.

Okay, he had no specific gender either but he liked to term his celestial existence as a male entity, males were stronger and more powerful, Dragon reasoned in glee as he horned and stretched his underused energy. No, he was not lazy or what, just that his light was too exquisite to waste on mundane whims and wishes.

Yes, alright, he was lazy, Dragon admitted non-too-repentantly. Lazy to answer to his other celestial comrades up there whenever the wondrous magic he weaved created outcomes that were so far-fetched it boggled the sadly limited human minds.

Oh never mind those pesky and boring celestials, Dragon snorted and then promptly flashed an innocent, teensy, weensy beam at the other minion stars whom were beginning to edge away in fright when his merry snorts had splintered some of the mists guarding the first layer of the celestial skies.

"Whatever you're thinking, Dragon, please don't…"

"Of course not…"

Of course, yes, Dragon mused, it was not as if he had ever given a hoot care about the rules anyway. If those other celestials were to be so stringent about rules, they might as well banish magic altogether.

* * *

~TBC~


	2. The Night Of The Shooting Star

**Magic**

**~The Night Of The Shooting Star~**

* * *

"I, Harry James Potter, hereby attest to their irrevocable change of hearts during the final days leading to the last battle in Hogwarts and I now appeal before this honourable Wizengamot to let the Malfoy family walk out of this prestigious court free from any prejudice of imprisonment or those in line with it."

Loud murmurs broke out as the Wizengamot members piled out of the courtroom after the verdict was reached. Harry remained at the balcony, chatting quietly with the new Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt who had been specially appointed as Chief Warlock to preside the final trial.

"You're free to go," Kingsley commanded.

Draco immediately felt the invisible restrains on his body snap free and no sooner than that his mother's arms grappled for him, the depth of her crystal blue eyes were in the danger of pooling.

"Mother, please hold the tap for now…." Without much thought, he bowed his head low at the two on the balcony when he saw them staring with an inscrutable expression each on their faces. "Come, Mother…"

"I believe Potter is… no, it's Harry now," Lucius mumbled as the three of them ambled as gracefully as they knew how to the door. "He almost smiled, yes, yes, he did, a good sign, a very good sign indeed."

Really, Draco wasn't surprised at all that Harry would do this for him and his mother, but extending the kindness to his father was rather unexpected.

"We've done him so much wrong and yet..." Narcissa's voice broke.

Draco's arm instantly weaved around her waist, gently leading her into the Atrium lift. "Mother, stop it already, it's so unlike you to bawl in public…"

"Draco, a word if you please…"

It wasn't the sudden appearance of Harry that had startled Draco, it was hearing his name muttered out that had rendered him temporarily dumbstruck. By the time he recovered, thanks to his mother's sharp poke at his ribs, Harry was already out of sight.

"Mother, you go ahead with Father first," Draco muttered. "I'll be home later."

"I've taught you well haven't I, my son," Lucius beamed. "Oh and do remember to invite him for dinner this week, he's our ticket in rebuilding our place in the society again."

"Certainly Father, anything you say."

Draco managed to swallow back a disgusted snort. His father, the ever unrepentant opportunist would never be rid of his ways.

"Draco, you of all people should know by now that Harry's not the sort to fall for that kind of absurdity but I do have one piece of useful advice for you, do not let your feelings show too much less you wish to scare him off."

"Huh?" What was that all about? "What feelings?"

His dear mother who was still teary eyed merely tossed him her rare, lovely smile before the lift door slid shut in his face. Leave it, he had other pressing things to handle right now, Draco told himself as he quickened his pace along the bare corridor opposite the lift Atrium where Harry was seen heading.

A lone black door stood foreboding at the end of the narrow stretch. Draco hesitated. Why would Harry want a word with him in the Department of Mysteries of all places and how did he get in there anyway. Draco always thought that the top secret department would surely be more stringent to wayward visitors during the nights.

"Good evening, Minister, you're still around? I thought the trial ended already…"

"I was just running through the court records to check who in the world changed the trial date to tonight instead of tomorrow morning… Oh forget it! I could ask you the same, I'm not aware that the Unspeakables are working round the clock, what brings you here, Croaker?"

"Oh, I've… I'm back to check on something and besides it's just our normal procedure to see that the entire floor is sealed by midnight every night, Minister."

"Who authorised that? I've been an Auror in the Ministry for donkey years and I've never heard of such claptrap!"

"The late Minister Scrimgeour…"

"Is dead and buried and bless his kind soul and you have some explaining to do, come to my office…"

The loud conversation startled Draco enough out of his indecisiveness and in one swift motion, he pushed the door open, stepped over the threshold, clicking it back shut quietly and just as quickly, moved a few steps forward and waited. No sooner than he blinked a loud whirring sound was heard before the walls began to move around him and all he could glimpse now was the streaks of blue dancing among the speeding walls.

And then just as suddenly the walls stopped moving.

The room was circular, all black, even the floors, so meticulously polished it appeared like the whole place was swarmed with standstill water. The candles on the walls which boasted blue flames made it possible for his sharp eyes to instantly identify the twelve black, all identical and knob-less doors spread against the walls.

Draco breathed. It was fortunate that his father having been inside here was particularly generous in imparting certain classified information. The question was, what in the world was Harry seeking in here when Harry had merely wanted to talk to him. Oh yes... how could he forget, knowing Harry and how reckless the git could be, it was pretty much likely something had grabbed Harry's attention whilst waiting for Draco along the corridor outside.

In moments like this too it was incredibly easy for hesitation to make it's timely appearance once again. Of course he could just leave… No, no way, not without, Harry, not after what Harry did for him tonight, he decided firmly and boldly pushed one open palm on the nearest door to gain entry into whatever room it held behind it.

The door refused to budge.

"Bloody splendid…"

Just blame his rotten luck to chance upon the Locked Room. Yet instead of moving to another door Draco couldn't refrain from pressing his face against the cool, smooth surface of the one in front of him. There was just something compelling about this room. Even whilst he was puzzling about it, tentacles of varying emotions were fast spreading in his chest, tugging his heartstrings in turbulent waves. An unnamed feel, so familiar and yet new at the same time trickled in deluge into his insides. Difficult to sum it into words, just standing outside here made him feel all calm, soothed, sad, free, glee, silly, happy, deprived, contented and angry all rolled into one.

Involuntarily, his eyes fell shut and immediately the assault of one oncoming hell of a massive headache bloomed behind his eyelids. Having all those contrasting emotions all at one go was really rather taxing, no joke about it. Still, despite everything he remained rooted to the spot. In a dreamlike state of coerced submission, he let those inordinate pieces of thoughts fogged his brains and mostly he saw a face he knew only too well, one with messy hair and bright green orbs.

"Harry..."

And just like that the giddiness went away.

Harry, that's right, Harry and only Harry was capable of rendering him into such a mess. He felt it whenever Harry triumphed against death on every school year or whenever Harry was spitting fire at him. Only that right now the feeling seemed to intensify by leaps and bounds.

Oh... This was too heavy for his mind and heart to take in right now, Draco blinked his eyes open, immediately regretted, his spinning vision was enough to faint him out and his eyelids slid shut once more. The darkness provided an instant antidote and despite the heaviness it brought in it's wake, he found himself greedily drinking in whatever raw feeling that invoked his entire senses, brushing away that vague nudge that he had other marked purpose to be in here before promptly tossing that bothersome vagueness away.

Right now all he wanted to feel was this intense and fast becoming addictive emotional stir of the most adverse kind.

"Must get in there," Draco mumbled, fingers clawing unattractively on the still stubbornly closed door. "I've got to see what's inside..."

Really, this door, this Locked Room was something that Harry would be very, very interested in, Draco grinned gleefully. Too bad the git could only dream about it, only a select few could access to this room…

"Bloody hell!"

With a sudden furious shout, Draco sprung back into the urgency of the moment and just as quickly bit back further curses when he heard loud voices coming from somewhere close, real close. Not even a heartbeat later, one of the doors, three doors adjacent to the Locked Room suddenly burst open.

"Croaker is sure taking his time!"

In a speed that ran faster than time and Draco didn't even know he could move that fast and thank Merlin he was clad in black and his thick, cashmere overcoat had come with a hood of which he hurriedly cloaked over his sleek blond head, skirting the wall only to dive headlong into the nearest door on his left, clicking it soundlessly shut behind him.

"Time Room…" he breathed at the sight of the beautiful, dancing lights around him and most importantly at another door right right at the far end of the room. "Now I'm getting somewhere."

Draco skittered across the room to avoid tramping on the clocks that came in all shapes and sizes littering on every surface until he came upon on a large glass showcase full of Time-Turners standing majestically against the wall right next to the door. Giving the poor, innocent door a mighty kick, cursed himself when the door retaliated back shut with a thud, he barreled into the Hall of Prophecy, yes, a more promising room, even more doors here but he was sorely interested in one particular door and that was the whole point.

Running full speed as quietly and as carefully as he could, dodging in between the rows of towering shelves holding hundreds of small, glass orbs, thankful for the cheery blue candle flames spread along the intervals on the shelves, his brains was whirring out just as frantically, weighing all kinds of possible horrid scenarios if he were to be caught.

Merlin forbid, right after he was declared free from being one of the unfortunate dwellers in Azkaban too, he lamented.

"What the…"

Draco skidded to a stop at the sight of one lone glass vial, so tiny he could have easily missed it if not for the prominent label stuck next to it on the shelf's bracket.

Even though fully knowing he shouldn't be touching any of these countless orbs around him because of the highly protective charm, curse or whatever placed on each glass, one that could render him mad, his hand shot out to grab the vial before he could even think properly. His and Harry's name spelled clearly on the label would surely deflect any mishaps.

"Thank Merlin…Gods..."

Muttering gibberish of reverent prayers that he was still in one piece and far from the doom of madness, the vial soon went into the depth of his coat's front pocket and he was on his way again.

"Must get to that door…."

Wheezing for breath as he cut across the dizzying rows, he finally saw it, at the end of row ninety-seven, the door that would lead to the Brain Room and letting out a silent shout of triumph, kicked up into a burst of lightning speed and leaped the last few steps to hurtle himself against the door, almost tripped as he slammed the door as gently as he could with his back to shut it and…

"What took you so long?"

Frozen in shock, Draco was just in time to see Harry's head, only his head, floating eerily out from beneath the tables surrounding the enormous tank filled with murky green liquid and white brains that looked absolutely vile floating in it. The hero soon discarded his Invisibility Cloak only to carefully fold it and stuff the priceless thing inside his over-sized black sweater.

"I heard you shouting and was about to come out when I heard voices…" Harry was now standing in front of him. "Oh for Merlin's sake, breathe!"

Not realising he had been holding his breath, Draco let it all out in a whoosh but he wasn't about to remain dumbstruck for long.

"Of all the bloody places, you have to choose this place to have a few choice words with me, Harry?" he hissed. "The Unspeakbles are here, probably searching for us right now."

It was rather disappointing the way Harry didn't give out the same gaping reaction after hearing Draco used his first name. Harry merely brushed him off with an airy wave from his wand and peered right up into his face, looking non-too bothered by Draco's outburst of hisses.

"I wasn't planning to go gallivanting in here but as I was waiting for you at the corridor near the door," Harry intoned lowly, "that's when I heard our names being the hot topic of rapid conversation before another door was heard slamming hard somewhere from the inside so naturally I…."

"Couldn't stop yourself and didn't think to wait for me?" Draco finished silkily, tone drenching with sarcasm, quite forgetting to whisper. "Or even so, you couldn't just wait in the Circular Room?" he drilled relentlessly on as he towered over Harry, quietly relishing that he was a good foot taller than him. "What's the point of having that priceless cloak if you're not going to put it to good use when you really need to?"

Seemingly hearing Draco's random mind rambling glorying about his own tallness, Harry quickly erected his lax post as if standing up straight could make up the significant difference in their heights.

"Shhhh! I didn't have time to put it on damn it!"he shushed and hissed back just as furiously. "One of those blasted doors swung open so suddenly that I had to slip into the nearest room and I definitely know you're smart enough to figure out a way to find me!"

Draco's chest gave out a strange sort of squeeze at that parting statement. Slowly yet certainly he felt his lips tug at the corners into a smile before it bloomed into a grin.

"What's so funny?" Harry prompted, brows furrowing.

"You just outright praised me that's why," Draco smirked.

It brought him great joy to see that if Harry's eyes were to glare any wider because apparently he didn't see that one coming, the green balls would surely pop out.

"Did not!" Harry stalked away, head held high as he marched to yet another door in plain sight.

"Did too!" Draco followed close at his heels, still smirking away. "What did you want to tell me anyway, Harry?"

Harry turned around real slowly but promptly held out another wand, Draco's Hawthorn to him.

"Oh, nothing much really, just to thank you for _willingly_ losing your wand to me, Draco," Harry said, emphasising the world _willingly_ with a megawatt beam. "Splendid isn't it, your wand that is."

Draco's brains raced, did Harry know? Damn it, the git wasn't supposed to know about it at all. So the hero did have some useful brains after all. To deny the whole thing would be totally pointless because Harry would never let it rest, best was to act cool about it.

"Don't mention it," he replied snottily, curling his fingers around his beloved Hawthorn, reveling in its warmth. "I scratch your back and you scratch mine and so please stop looking so smug and let's just get out of here," he added smoothly next. "We can always discuss what those shady Unspeakables are up to over some good old Firewhisky if you like."

Harry's eyes sparkled with acute satisfaction. How the git could remain indifferent was beyond him. Harry was supposed to gape at least because it wasn't a normal situation for them to have chummy drinking session out of the blue, Draco thought crossly.

"Nothing to rival your patented smirks I'm sure but yeah," Harry shrugged, voice tinged with amusement, damn him. "Let's just leave, this door will lead us to the Circular Room and…"

And then Harry's voice trailed off, stepping around Draco only to pace in brisk steps to the other end of the room.

"What?" Draco followed suit, trailing speedily behind. "What damn it."

"I'm sure I didn't see this door here before." Harry pointed at said door.

An explicit bout of overwhelming rush of intensity welled in him, just like while he was wasting precious time in front of the Locked Room… he looked at Harry and Harry looked back at him.

"I'm having this odd but really familiar feel…" Harry confided with unrehearsed honesty, gaze fixed longingly at the closed door. "Draco, I think this... could be another entrance to the Locked Room…I've always wondered what's in it..."

"Listen here." His wand free hand shot out to wrench Harry's open palm away when he saw him push the unwavering door to reveal whatever it was behind it that had been intriguing them both. "Just now I overheard Kingsley saying its strange my trial was held at night and then you heard voices talking about us, don't you think it's a bit odd? Wake up, damn it!"

In response Harry shook his head vigorously a few times, his green eyes which had appeared alarmingly unfocused only moments earlier, sprung to its usual keen alertness once more.

"Yeah, plenty odd if you ask me," he agreed, nodding away. "I wonder... oh what the hell are you looking for now."

"Something significantly important…" Draco muttered, inwardly cursing his absent mindedness as he rummaged his pocket. "Our Prophecy vial," he announced in triumph after successfully pulling the tiny object out and grinned when Harry fidgeted rather impatiently. "I nicked this from the Prophecy Hall because I saw our names on the tag next to it."

"Let me see that." The vial soon changed hands. "Draco, I think… I seriously think that all this isn't just a coincidence and…"

Harry didn't get to finish because in the next instant, loud voices were suddenly booming in the nearby Circular Room.

"Minister, Harry's wands have not been de-registered yet and I'm certain he's still around…"

"Nonsense, Harry left before me and we both saw Eric dozing soundly at his post and we all know what that means because this isn't going to be the first time that lazy bump missed recording anyone out in his log book, Harry is probably dozing at home right now and how dare you accuse him otherwise. Your useless lot did not even lift a finger to aid us during the war!"

"But… but… "

"One more word and I'll close down the entire department, Croaker... All of you leave now, this place is off limits to everyone tonight, I will personally ward it and I want a detailed report from each one of you first thing in the morning."

"SLAM!"

That surely must be the exit door.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry, calm as could be, with that very familiar, stubborn look branded on his face, whipped out another wand, the Elder wand from under the sleeve of his sweater, resolutely waved at the door, muttering "Alohomora..." and it creaked slightly ajar almost instantly. Draco did not even want to ask why Harry went around carrying the most powerful wand in the entire universe with him.

"Coming or not?" Harry urged quietly. "It's too late to get out now and I feel better tucked away in there while we look into our Prophecy vial, Draco."

As if he would let Harry off alone again, with the vial, their vial of all things. Besides, a chance to step foot inside the Locked Room would probably never come again. Anyway, once the ward was down come morning, they could always depend on Death's Invisibility Cloak to hightail from the Ministry. Now that Draco had gotten his Hawthorn back, spending the night in comfort would be a breeze.

"Draco?" Bright green eyes flashed hopefully at him. "We'll be fine as long as I scratch your back and you scratch mine as usual you know."

Draco's first coherent thought was that it was impossible not to get lost in those seas of beguiling green. He blinked it away hurriedly and smiled down at Harry.

"Together then?"

Harry smiled back up at him. "Together then."

Both their hands resolutely pressed the door further back and together, they stepped inside, simultaneously moved one foot back to render the door close again.

It took several moments to adjust to the near darkness.

"Lumos Maxima…" They both whispered.

"What is this place," Harry murmured.

The room didn't even resemble anything like a room at all. It was literally a space of grassy field with no ending in sight and frankly speaking absolutely eerie. If not for the brilliant, lone star high up in the dark abyss above them, the surrounding would be in total darkness. On impulse both of them turned around and simultaneously breathed. The door, even though suspended by mere thin air, was still solidly in its rightful place.

"Are those… books?" Harry pointed the tip of his glowing wand at the objects neatly spread on the ground about fifty paces before them. "Let's go see…"

Instinctively Draco reached out a death grip around Harry's wrist, only to drag him alongside with him as he strolled onward in measured steps, diplomatically ignoring Harry's loud sputters at being manhandled like a toddler. He couldn't trust Harry for one second not to mess anything up.

"Oh don't need to look at me like that," he muttered when Harry glared at him as they both heaped onto the ground, legs crossed like those Yogi masters, peering closely at the seven nameless books all in black hardcovers. "I think I'd rather hear the Prophecy first before we digest whatever secrets these books hold."

Harry's eyed gleamed with an almost malevolent glee that made Draco cringe.

"Of course, but don't we need a Pensive or something… show-off…" he mumbled somewhat crossly when Draco waved his wand and conjured just that, "you're bloody good."

Draco offered him a modest smile which of course failed tremendously. "Go on now, you're not wasting my time you know," he drawled.

Harry glowered. "Who put you in charge anyway?" he shot back hotly before pouring the shimmering golden fluid in.

With baited breaths, they watched in awe as the liquid vaporised into mists of shimmering gold. Shortly after the mists disappeared only to take it's former liquid form again.

Harry elbowed him a nudge after few seconds of non-action. "Aren't we supposed to be sucked into a stream of memories or something like that?"

Yes but apparently, this Prophecy was heavily veiled which made it all the more intriguing. "Let's just wait and see," Draco replied, indulging himself a secret smile when Harry inched closer until their knees brush.

Then it came.

_"It will be midnight when the elusive light finally emerges and the veil will be unhinged but only, only if the two Saviours welling a love so deep that they always never fail to move the heavens at their wake, are beneath that wondrous light together, even then it's still not enough, it will need other hearts to enable the mischievous light to tear down the veil which safeguards the seen and the unseen..."_

"Mother?"

Draco's breath hitched when he heard her voice. Blindly he reached out for Harry before he even realised he had done so and was about to snatch his hand away again when Harry snatched it back in place. The impact coming from the smaller hand, full of reassuring warmth, was instantaneous. If he thought it was odd that he should seek refuge in Harry to lessen his shock and odder still that Harry obliged without a word, he didn't let it on.

It was remarkable how one simple unprecedented gesture could bring about the needed closure between them.

"So I take it that we're friends now, huh?" Harry broke in after several long moments later of them staring and blinking awkwardly at one another. "It's about time don't you think?"

"I'm surprised you even need to ask, Harry," Draco returned, not missing a beat, slightly disturbed at the way his hand felt all deprived when Harry removed his warm one away. "Gryffindors are rather thick if you ask me."

Harry looked about to retort a cutting comeback before his miffed expression gave way into a jaw breaking grin. "Prat."

Draco grinned back just as unbecomingly. "Git."

Watching Harry store the Prophecy back into the vial with a few flicks from his Holly filled Draco's heart with contradicting emotions again and his expression turned somber. The Prophecy was bizarrely strange to say the least, but it was even more bizarre that he actually welcomed the idea of their now supposed to be entwined fate.

No, first thing first, he decided grimly, what he needed to sort out right now was how his mother fit into the picture. As far as he knew, non from the Black's descendants were blessed with a Seer's talent at all. Besides, why had the Prophecy landed in the Hall of Prophecy anyway. How did the Ministry or those Unspeakbles even ascertain that the vague Prophecy was about them. Or even better still, what role did his mother actually play during that stupid, pointless war. Which side was she on anyway.

So many questions and he hadn't even begun his quest for the answers to the Prophecy yet.

"Your mother…" Harry began when their eyes leveled after he made Pensive vanish. "You alright? I kind of always knew there was just something about her."

Filing that honest admission for future reference, Draco shrugged, contented to let his gaze rest into the seemingly infinite space above him, mulling deeper about the Prophecy. All his life, apart from watching Harry's back in secret only that now it wasn't a secret anymore but never mind that, he didn't really think his life was all that spectacular to qualify him a place among the Prophecy linage.

"I'll just put this back in your pocket," Harry informed rather unnecessarily, considering that the action had already been completed. "Anytime you're ready to talk about our current predicament, let me know yeah, we have all night anyway... Fancy a chocolate bar? I always carry some around for inspiration..."

Absently Draco shook his head, smiling slightly when Harry ravished his chocolate treat with childlike delight. Secrets, what other secrets were his mother hiding from him, he brooded, eyes still fixed upon that one star, which seemed to glow even while he was staring at it, brighter and brighter it went, lighting up the strange atmosphere of the endless space around them and Merlin did his stomach just rumble, maybe he should take up Harry's offer, it's probably time for his own midnight feast anyway.

Midnight... Midnight? It was almost midnight now!

The realisation hit him so hard that his breath caught yet again but it was Harry who spoke first after tossing the chocolate wrapper away with a marked vengeance.

"You scratch my back and I scratch yours, in short, you save me and I save you... Merlin! We are the two Saviours Draco!"

"Harry… I've no idea what the Prophecy means but I think it's happening…"

The star was burning so bright it was almost frightening, understatement, it was plenty frightening and the next moment went in a kind of blurry motion and he didn't know, past caring who moved first or how they ended huddling together like two terrified children. In any other situation he would have laughed out loud at the state they were in but not now. Living out a Prophecy was a whole different matter altogether. Harry's arms wound tightly around his waist and he was clutching Harry so hard he was sure Harry would bruise later and they both were staring upwards, quite shamelessly quaking yet unable to tear their eyes from the glare of light.

"Why did you come back for me in that Fiendfyre?" he whispered hurriedly, not even certain why he had to know the answer like his life depended on it. "Is it because you have to or is it because you truly want to, Harry?"

"I want to alright," Harry muttered back just as urgently. "Did you devise all those brilliant plans to keep your arse alive or to keep mine alive, Draco?"

"Yours, always yours, Harry... Just don't ask me why because I don't even know why."

The star sparked and just before he was forced to shutter his eyes against the blinding explosion of lights above them, his glance inevitably fleeted onto one of the long forgotten books, its cover, he didn't notice when and how it had been flipped open somewhere at the finishing pages because there was no wind whatsoever.

And Draco's breath almost stopped for the third time tonight.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

Eight year old Daniel Jacob Radcliffe had just finished reading his Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone for the third time already and was getting ready for bed. He glanced at the clock on the opposite wall and frowned when he saw the time, silently chiding himself for staying up so late on a school night.

"Harry Potter, you shouldn't have brushed Draco off so soon, he could be loads of fun," Daniel sighed, sleepy eyes gazing dreamily at a majestic, lone star cresting high up outside his window. "How I wish I could be you so that I could fix things up with you and Draco, he obviously likes you."

The star was suddenly seen flashing across the night sky just as he was uttering out his words.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

Thomas Andrew Felton, or most affectionately known as Tom, was seen all curled up on his bed after a hasty gulp of his supper just to continue reading his new book. Thrice in a row too. It was close to midnight when the eleven-year old boy was finally done with it.

"Harry's kind of adorable, too bad Draco just didn't know how to play nice despite obviously cranking after the hero," Tom mused aloud as he got up to slide open his bedroom window, appearing rather mesmerised upon seeing one really huge star that seemed to brighten up the night canvas. "Silly boy, I wish I were you, I'd definitely know how to do things right."

The star sparked and rocketed at the utterly precise second he was rocketing his wish.

* * *

~TBC~


	3. Blasts From The Past

**Magic**

**~Blasts From The Past~**

* * *

Long shimmering strands that seemed to be spun from golden threads, spilled over her shoulders in soft waves as she wept piteously. Yet the stringing tears did nothing to mar her exquisite beauty for even shrouded in gloom the portrait of loveliness refused to leave her.

"Oh don't cry, you're making me sad…" Mytle implored with feeling, hovering next to the lone girl splendidly decked in black, silky pyjamas at the edge of the pool-like bath in the Prefects' bathroom. "Those girls are stupid, they're jealous because you're beautiful like a princess, rich and clever and powerful and kind unlike your crazy sister and boys simply adore you especially your boyfriend, that handsome Malfoy boy…"

Her shiny blonde head jerked up. "That snarky, arrogant, conceited, hypocrite twit is not my boyfriend!"

"Now… now…" Mytle cooed. "Tell me what happened, did those girls bully you again?"

"They're spreading malicious rumours about me adoring adolescent girls," she sniffed, daintily dabbing her eyes with the back of her slender, polished fingers. "All I did was to kiss that sweet first year Gryffindor girl on her cheeks because she returned my sapphire bracelet that my uncle gave me, she saw I'd dropped it in the library."

"Cissa… Cissa, you should be a Hufflepuff," Mytle shook her head. "You are too soft on those whores…"

"Language, Mytle," Narcissa chided, her luscious lips though, were hinting into a smile. "Not fitting for a young lady."

"I am way older than you are," Mytle retorted as she floated right into her face, squealing away in delight when Narcissa tried to splash some of the bubbly warm water at her. "I bet if I had lived I'd be even prettier than…. Cissa? Don't frighten me..."

The ghost watched in horror as Narcissa's entire form convulse, appearing to be having a seizure of the most painful genus. "Mytle… you're my real friend…" she rasped, the blue in her eyes was fast diminishing, "get Dumbledore now… tell no one…"

Thick, cloudlike mists swirled and now a fatigued looking Narcissa was seen lounging in a green armchair in Dumbledore's private chambers. The Headmaster himself was seen perched on his bed, anxiously watching her.

"The two Saviours are the ones who are going to put an end to that hateful mad wizard aren't they, Professor?" Narcissa put across the query quietly in a single breath, looking directly into his eyes. "Because if they are, I want a hand in this, I believe I do have the right."

Dumbledore's pair of brilliant blue orbs traced deep into her own cool blue pools. "I see that you are a natural Legilimens and an Occlumens as well, my child," he said quietly. "No one, not even your uncle has ever quite managed to deflect my utmost subtle yet lethal probing."

Narcissa sighed. "I'd rather not have these abilities, I can't seem to control them whenever I'm emotionally hyper," she admitted ruefully, suddenly interested in admiring her black satin bed slippers. "It's unnerving to inadvertently float into people's minds without them even realising it."

"You have gifts that others could only dream of, Narcissa," Dumbledore reminded gently. "Those gifts will better with age, do you wish me to guide you, child?"

Her head bobbed up again, hopeful eyes searching for his. "I'd welcome your guidance but only if you would allow me the exclusive privilege of guarding the two mysterious Saviours."

"This isn't the first time you're being indulged with a Prophecy is it?" he replied with a query.

Well in-bred manners probably prevented her from slanting scathing retorts at him for evading her request yet another time. "Twice I dreamt of a cheeky, laughing dragon with silver scales that shone like the finest of diamonds, first he mocked me for naming my child after him when the father is an airhead and a vain _poncey_ git."

Dumbledore's sparkling bark of laugh startled her. "My apologies, do indulge me more."

"Another occasion saw the dragon bring me flying with him, so high that my hair grazed the misty skies," she sighed softly, smiling at the memory. "After indulging me across the universe and back, he landed in front of a handsome house, there was a child, a toddler at the doorstep, sobbing his poor little heart out, he had thick, sooty hair and brilliant green eyes but it was his scar, like a fiery bolt of lightning, so red and raw carved on his forehead and it looked to be extremely painful to the poor child that had me broken into tears but the silver dragon told me not to worry about feisty Harrius, my own fiery Draconis will watch over him."

Dumbledore's startled gasps were lost as whiteness probed in again and a cold looking but still as beautiful as ever adult Narcissa was seen seated across Dumbledore in a small Muggle café right opposite King's Cross station.

"I have discarded my gracious, gentle bearing readily to favour one of extreme coldness, wickedness and a Muggle hating witch to boot simply to honour my words to you, Albus," she said calmly. "Now you're asking me to consider bonding with that vile excuse of a man who I'm sure will toss me away at the first hint of danger."

Dumbledore granted her a knowing chuckle. "Apparently his virile, handsome stature doesn't bother you one bit, Narcissa."

Narcissa's cool demeanour went down several notches, her flawless porcelain complexion blotched crimson. "With all due respect, Albus, I'm a healthy grown woman and you're the one who tasked me to get closer to him," she gritted unbecomingly. "Lusty passion does not equal to love, Headmaster."

"For what he is inside, he really loves you with all his soul and he'll never desert you, that I know for certain," Dumbledore returned quietly. "Sometimes it's less heart-aching to be with someone who loves you more, my child."

Her eyes pooled and spilled, her quiet tears cut short when another scene came by.

Two women were seen embroiled in an embrace so tight it appeared they were practically joined as one on the bed. Two boys, toddlers to be exact, one was blond haired and the other was a stark contrast of the blackest black were heard gurgling as they wrestled one another in the wooden playpen nearby.

"I'm glad you came, I've missed you, Cissa," Lilly grinned when the hug broke. "James is going mad with boredom."

"I was so worried when Sirius told me he's meeting James for some serious round of Firewhiskey, leaving you all alone here with Harry," Narcissa responded furiously and then grew distracted when a sudden shriek sounded from one of the boys. "Draco! Stop smothering Harry with your icky kisses!" she rapped out sharply and that sent young Draco pouting and huffing to the corner of the large playpen. "Behave yourself!"

Lily's peals of laughter rang out when tiny sized Harry, speedily crawled over to Draco, cooing what-not baby talk in an attempt to soothe his distressed playmate. Both women shared an amused look when Draco began running his curious little fingers to comb through Harry's messy hair and the smaller boy was seen grinning delightedly, obviously only too happy to be the blond's focus of attention again.

"I've been inside Peter's mind, a part of it was being barred from intrusion that even I couldn't manage to break in," Narcissa spoke again in a voice tinted with a hint of hysteria as she took Lilly's hands in hers. "I'm just worried that my worst fear, my dream will come to pass, my friend."

"James said Peter would never betray him but I never did like Peter very much," Lily confided, voice brittle with bitterness. "This place is heavily warded and protected by Dumbledore himself." She soon rested her forehead against Narcissa's whilst the two boys, arms draped around one another, watched on quietly like as though they could sense their mothers' distress. "I will be fine, Cissa, don't worry so much."

Narcissa's deflated sigh was barely heard in the mist as the scene changed yet again.

"How dare you?!" Narcissa let out a shrill wail, looking quite demented with unrestrained fury, wild fists pummeling at Dumbledore's thin chest as they stood over Lily's grave. "How dare you give him away to those infernal Muggles! Lily entrusted him to me! I made her a promise to protect Harry with my life, Albus! What don't I have that gives that horsy, jealous Petunia the rights to protect my helpless godson?!"

Dumbledore mumbled a wandless spell to shield them from prying eyes before gently tugging her wily hands away. "You do not have the same blood that flowed in Lily's veins, Narcissa and only that will make him live long enough until he finds his own strength."

Defeated, Narcissa dropped to the ground, her heart wrenching sobs faded as the waves of mists came by again.

"Dobby, dear," Narcissa said with an affectionate pat on the elf's wrinkly head. "You must hint to my pretty godson of the ways to set you free from your link with us."

Dobby threw his head down on her lap, tears leaked from his eyes, some spilled onto the quilted bedcover. "Mistress is not wanting Dobby?" he wept. "Dobby is loving Mistress much… Who is taking care of Mistress and Master Draco if Dobby gone?"

"I love you too you know." Narcissa tickled his batty ears. "But you do want to be a hero like Harry don't you? Besides, breaking free doesn't mean you can't come visit me anytime you wish and being free without a master means that you can keep my secrets from my husband, Dobby. "

Dobby's large, glassy eyes sparkled at her words. "Dobby be happy so long as Mistress is loving Dobby," he hiccuped the remains of his sobs away. "Dobby promise to keep secrets for Mistress."

"Oh my precious, Dobby…"

Narcissa's wistful smile that was glistening with tears dissolved into the thick swirling mists and the change of scene saw Dobby jumping up and down excitedly on one of the long kitchen tables while the rest of Hogwarts' elves eyed them in a curious mix of curiosity and adoration.

"Dobby, what're you doing here?" Harry said in amazement.

"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!" Dobby squealed excitedly. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!

"Winky?" said Harry. "She's here too?"

"Yes, sir, yes!" said Dobby, and when he seized one of Harry's hands, no one saw that tiny speck of something shiny in between his knobbly little fingers stick onto Harry's forefinger and the tracking charm blended seamlessly into the boy's skin.

The next scene revealed Narcissa standing face to face with Mundungus in a discreet corner at Dervish & Banges, a rather grand looking store of which its marked trade was dealing with magical instruments.

"You will cross path with Aberforth and offer to sell Sirius' mirror to him," she murmured, her usually emotionless eyes went overly bright as she gazed into Mundungus' unfocused ones. "You will not remember this moment."

The second Narcissa Disapparated, leaving no hint of a crackle in the air, Mundungus stomped out of the store, muttering that he really needed to have a shot of Firewhiskey in Hogs Inn.

The following scene saw Narcissa in her own bedroom holding a small, silver frame in her hands.

"Have you got words for me from Albus, eldest Grandfather?" she questioned.

"A change of ownership is in dire need, whatever that means," replied Phineas, scowling at her curt tone. "And I will not be spoken to like that in future, young lady!"

Narcissa ignored him, frowning in concentration before breaking into a reverent beam. "It's risky but I must act now…"

Phineas huffed loudly as he exited, bringing in the mists again and the scene was now in the Forest of Dean. Harry, Ron and Hermione were seen chattering in their tent. None of them apparently saw that Narcissa was sitting right next to Harry.

"He's abroad! He's still looking for the Wand, I knew it!" Harry whooped.

"Harry!" Hermione tossed him a disbelieving look. "The wand is just a myth, folklore."

"Call out his name…" Narcissa whispered into Harry's left ear. "Call out his name…"

Harry blinked. "Come on, Hermione, you know it's true, Vo… "

"HARRY, NO!" Ron turned ashen with horror.

"Call out his name…" Narcissa whispered, more urgently this time. "Now…"

"…ldemort's after the Elder Wand!"

"The name's Taboo!" Ron yelled, leaping to his feet just as loud cracks sounded outside. "I told you, Harry, I told you, we can't say it…"

Soundlessly Narcissa disappeared and the scene swiftly switched into one that held fallen chandelier, green and red jets were shooting free flow at Malfoy Manor's extravagant living hall. Amidst the chaos, Draco's eyes flashed with a ray of hope when Harry grabbed all the three wands from him.

Had his attention been not so focused on Harry, he probably wouldn't have missed that split second knowing upturn of Narcissa's mouth or the slight gasp of relief that escaped past her lips.

In another abrupt flash the scene was now at the heart of the Forbidden Forest.

"Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?" Narcissa breathed, fingers digging into Harry's chest, her lustrous, crowning glory shielded every eye away from his face.

No one saw her eyes slipped into slits and she appeared to be in some form of pain that seemed to gather in her head. A close distance away, Voldermort's serpent-like eyes burned coal red. His primary focus was aimed at her rather than the fallen saviour.

"Yes," Harry breathed through tightly lidded eyes.

When her eyes sparked to open fully again and then glinted with an eerie gleam of the brightest hue of blue, Voldermort's fiery gaze contracted into one of mad glee because he thought he had won.

"He is dead!" Narcissa called out her lie.

The white mists came by just in time to drown out the shouts of triumphs ringing all around them, bringing Draco and Harry out of the Pensive that hoarded all of Narcissa's most shielded memories.

"Vanishio…"

The Pensive went out of sight when Narcissa moved her lips _without_ the need of a wand.

"Wicked…" Draco muttered in awe.

Several long moments of prominent silence stretched before Harry, feet unsteady, face burdened with an emotion so heavy it seemed to weigh on his entire body, making him rely heavily on Draco's firm grip on his arm with every step taken as they made their way slowly to her at the edge of the long table.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Harry let out a wondrous whisper as his gaze met hers. "I always had that feeling someone was watching over me all those years when I was in Privet Drive, those cold winter nights while I was shivering in that cupboard and all of a sudden I felt warm, at times feeling well fed when I should be starving…" His voice broke but a brief handclasp from Draco spurred him on. "Those strange feelings of inner comfort that came out of nowhere when I felt all alone and not worth living at all."

"I made a promise to your mom, Harry," Narcissa said, tentatively reaching out all ten fingers to cup his cheeks, eyeing him longingly, "she's the only one friend who knew every secret of my heart."

Next to him, a contented looking Draco remained silent as his mother, all teary eyed drew Harry into her arms. Godmother and Godson reunited at last.

"I hate to interrupt, Mother but I think I can hear Father huffing outside, " he finally informed with a straight face, pointing at the drawing room door, generously ignoring Harry's rather unmanly sniffing, "I assume he doesn't know yet?"

Very gently, as if afraid that breaking the hug would break him like some fragile piece of china, Narcissa pulled away but not before planting a sound peck on Harry's forehead who in turn, glowed rosy pink.

"Oh he'll be thrilled to know," she shrugged but was looking at Harry instead. "You're not obliged to spare my husband any niceties at all, Harry."

"I don't intend to," Harry said and then immediately tapped on a sheepish grimace, "I'm sorry, Narcissa, that wasn't what I meant…."

"That was exactly what you meant," Draco snorted.

Harry slanted him a furious glare. "Stop interrupting me!"

"I was just stating the fact!"

"Boys, please, aren't you both tired of it already?"

Appearing deaf to her pleas, the two continued their pointless bickering, apparently not seeing that one huge radiant grin playing on Narcissa's lovely lips as she trotted leisurely to the door.

~TBC~

A/N: Ahem… Some small parts were quoted from the books to make it seem more real, or at least I hope so ^_^


	4. Feelings

**Magic**

**~Feelings ~**

* * *

Narcissa really had excellent taste in clothes, Harry thought, marvelling at how the long sleeved shirt shaded in white adorned with silver threads spinning intricate patterns on its collar and cuffs made him look as polished as her son.

Well, almost, none could rival Draco in the vanity department, he mused as he padded his way out of his room which used to be Sirius' room.

"This biased Joanne woman made me look like a whiny, spineless coward in all her books!"

Almost immediately Draco's loud complains greeted him as he clicked the room door shut and that sent Harry wondering if the blond had supersonic ears of some sort.

"Oh come on, quit whinging already!"

They had just spent the entire day reading.

Together.

Every day without fail ever since that night.

Imagine that.

Expelling a sigh, Harry critically surveyed his appearance as he passed by the tall mirror permanently stuck on the wall next to Regulus' room near the banister of the topmost landing, cringing at the grotesque Medusa carved frame housing the glass.

"Hurry up will you!"

"Impatient git…." Harry muttered.

Right after the star blasted into the infinite space, the strange surrounding went pitch dark and they couldn't even see each other. Their wands, even the Elder wand couldn't seem to ignite even the tiniest Lumos. Clearly their wands were not working at all in there.

After painstakingly groping around in the stifling darkness, with arms loaded full of books, they located the door and it led them not into the Circular Room or the Brain Room at all. Instead they found themselves inside his parents' old home in Godric Hollow, in their bedroom to be exact.

The large, dusty wooden playpen was the first thing that held their attention.

The familiarity rang so heavy it was uncanny. Of course back then they didn't have a clue yet that it was in that playpen young Draco and Harry first met, played, laughed and then bawled their lungs out when it was time to part ways.

Little did the innocent toddlers know it would be a decade later till they were to cross path again.

Under completely different circumstances that was.

"Harry! Are you laying eggs up there?!"

"Don't shout at me in my own home, Draco!" Harry yelled.

A decent hair trim was totally called for, not that it would make any difference at all, he brooded as he marched his way down the stairs slowly, envying Draco's latest hairstyle, all rugged and windswept and yet it made the blond look like he just stepped out from a fashion tabloid.

The injustice of it all, Harry lamented at his own untidy mop that made him look like he just tumbled out of bed no matter how diligently he brushed the springing strands down.

A tickled grin crept into his face when he recalled the huge spat they fell into pertaining to who should read the books first before they finally compromised to read it together, line by line, page by page. That brought about another round of heated argument about a suitable venue. It was either Malfoy Manor or Grimmauld Place.

A resolution, by way of tossing a sickel was finally reached.

And it was most fortunate he won.

And it was terribly unfortunate too because he had to miss a lot of dates with Ginny as their pact came with a non-negotiable condition.

They wouldn't stop reading until all seven books had been thoroughly digested.

"Finally, what took you so long?"

"Patience is virtue, Draco," Harry quoted the moment his feet hit the bottom step.

"You're wearing the shirt Mother sent you." Draco's aristocrat brows arched speculatively. "It's such a refreshing change to see you depart from your usual careless style."

Up to his ears with the blond's constant nagging of his lack of eloquence in the grooming department, Harry allowed himself a salacious smirk in his head when Draco's cool greys sparked with approval. Oh well, male vanity aside, he did look rather handsome, he crowed silently.

"Let's celebrate our first milestone tonight then," Draco went on chattily as Harry led him through the hallway and then added, "I'm in the mood for pasta and I know just the place."

Harry shook his head. "Sorry, kind of thinking of asking Ginny out for dinner, Draco, I'm heading to the Burrow just so you know."

"Will you stop it already," Draco lectured, tugging his arm just as persistently, brooking no refusal of any sort. "Our main aim is to get to the bottom of the Prophecy and find out what roles the books play in it."

Now that didn't leave much room for argument, since that was true but Harry made a token protest just the same. "I've not seen her once ever since that night, Draco," he pleaded and then quickly improvised. "She might think I'm not interested and worse, what if she hooks up with someone else."

Draco cast him a plaintive look that suggested otherwise. "I hate to disillusion you, hero boy, but any witch would be crazy not to have you. Relax, will you, she's not going anywhere."

Harry rolled his eyes but couldn't hold back a grin. Ginny had been very understanding as always and didn't even probe when he fibbed he had some unfinished business with the Dursleys.

His best mates though, were raring at the prospect of a new adventure. On the same night, right before they went to Malfoy Manor, he had forcefully dragged a highly reluctant Draco with him to the Burrow to drop the news. Upon hearing the Prophecy and later indulging herself with sneak previews of the books, Hermione made Draco and him promise to let her and Ron and read them as soon as they were done.

Harry bet that right now she was religiously leafing through pages of any book she could lay her hands on about stars.

Ron's cordiality toward Draco was quite unexpected although Harry suspected it was because the latter had wisely kept his snarky mouth shut and let Harry sing tributes about his unassuming heroic deeds.

"Stop thinking so hard and just let me treat you out for dinner." Draco's voice brought Harry out of his thoughts in no time. They were now at the front door. "You can spend the whole day with Ginny tomorrow."

Harry sighed. "Okay, lead the way," he relented as soon as they stepped outside. "Where is it anyway, Dra…"

The sudden darkness and the unpleasant, familiar pull of Apparation made him wobble, the only thing that kept him upright was Draco's hand clawing his arm like vice. Seconds later they were standing right smack in the heart of Diagon Alley.

Furious, Harry yanked his arm away. "Could've said something!"

Looking so annoyingly unaffected by the outburst, Draco simply waved his index finger under Harry's nose. "You told me to lead the way."

Harry nearly bit the pale digit off, he was that close. "Let's go," he seethed instead, not wanting to waste precious time arguing when his stomach was already rumbling a number from the Weird Sisters. "Since you're paying I so intend to order the most expensive set on the menu, the finest wine and of course dessert and it'd better be something chocolate, we can skip the starters though, I'm famished."

"I can buy the whole place for you if you want," Draco said seriously.

Really, it was getting to be really annoying the way Harry couldn't seem to let his annoyance with Draco remain at bay for long. Thrown into so much alone time together he found out Draco's wicked wit was hard not to agree with.

"I'll take you up on that someday," he hummed as they strolled along the cobbled street in companionable silence, his spirits lifting upon seeing the exciting assortments of shops, cafes and whatnots, gaily lighted by the street lamps.

"The first time I saw this place I couldn't stop gawking,' he mumbled, tone nostalgic, grinning at two little boys whom were jumping with excitement when they saw him from across the street. That sent him into a fast stride, anxious not to attract too much mayhem when the boys alerted the rest of the diners in that open concept café. "The last time I was really here at night was somewhere during our Third year…"

"You're kidding?" Draco intoned incredulously, steering him into a narrow footway of the seemingly endless street. Harry didn't even know there was a side lane there, what more a row of what looked to be some seriously posh restaurants once they come out from the dimly lighted alley. "I mean I know that's what the third book claims but seriously?"

"Yeah, pity isn't it?" Harry said distractedly. He was more interested in the pasta Draco was craving for. "The restaurants here are rather grand, Draco, I thought we'd be eating in one of those bustling cafes in the main street."

"I figured you'd need the privacy," Draco grinned. "Don't think I didn't notice people staring at you, Harry, and I for one do not want to be interrupted when we're eating. There are bound to be folks queuing up for your autographs."

Harry snorted. "Yeah right, like they were all grovelling at my feet just now."

"Ever heard of a hey, stranger, you can admire me but you cannot touch me charm?" Draco questioned innocently.

That sent Harry's eyes rolling. "Why am I not surprised?"

Draco laughed. It wasn't long before Harry joined in and by the time they reached the last eatery at the end of the street, both of them were bursting with good mood.

"Lovers' Tastebuds..." Harry snickered when he saw the cheery sign outside the premises. "How quaint."

"Don't dish it before you try it," Draco said lightly and then pointed at a free table decked with stars and moon patterned tablecloth on the patio. "Let's dine outside."

"Granted," Harry agreed cheerfully, secretly praising Draco's repelling charm. Although heads turn to stare at them from the neighbouring seats, the restaurant's patrons seemed glued to their spot.

More elegant dining took place inside for those gaming for a more formal meal but he would rather dine out here. The setting inside there had a kind of romantic ambience to it, candles and roses and there was even someone playing the piano. "Oh now I get it, this place is a rendezvous for trysting couples, hence the name."

"Please note that it's certainly not meant for lovers who couldn't afford the tab, Harry."

"I'll bet."

Once seated, someone, assumingly the staff, came by so quickly that Harry couldn't help thinking the man must have Apparated his way to them. Wearing a black silk shirt and a ridiculously tight leather pants, he should have looked like a complete twit but he was so handsome in that Adonis kind of way, dark blond curls with skin shaded a deep bronze tan, Harry thought he was the only man in Britain who could carry it off.

"Draco, it's been a long time, you imbecile prat!"

"Aurio," Draco smiled, raising his hand in mock salute. He spoke in a suave, grown up voice Harry hardly recognised. "How's it going, Cousin?"

"With Loony Voldie gone and good riddance to him," Aurio grinned and Harry couldn't help liking him on the spot, he kind of reminded him of the twins, "my business has boomed and…" and Aurio gaped and then gasped loudly when his blue eyes crossed with the lightning bolt on Harry's forehead, "oh Merlin! Bloody hell, shite… fuck… shite… oh pardon my rudeness but you're the legendary Harry Potter!"

"Not sure about the legendary part though but yes, I'm Harry Potter," Harry nodded modestly, hand outstretched. "Cool place, Draco claims you serve the best pasta."

"Aurio Clemens Black." Aurio nearly wrenched his arm off, discerning Harry's widening eyes at the mention of his last name. "Tonight's on the house, Cousin, it's my pleasure to have you here, Harry," he beamed before prattling off. "Oh but can I say this, you look much, much better in real life, you're sort of very, very prettily handsome, nice skin too, but I'd ditched those glasses if I were you and although I dig your lovely locks, you should really snip some of the wily strands off… "

Harry chuckled as Draco made to pry Aurio's fingers off his, internally set to drill Draco more about his cousin later. "Aurio, you're embarrassing yourself, Harry doesn't need styling tips any more than you do."

"Shut up and let me bask in the glory," Aurio responded good-naturedly and then turned to Harry. "I serve only the best, all ingredients fresh and…"

"And you need to bring us our pasta," Draco broke in smoothly, "and I want you to do it for us, Aurio, not any one of your lovely harem charges."

"Yes, Master Draco," Aurio sang sneeringly, "Merlin you're such a prat, such a twisted fate to have us related, you better take him in hand, Harry, come to think about it I wonder why you're even friends with him…"

Harry found himself laughing again at Aurio's retreating back, the man was hilarious. "Is he anyway related to any one of the infamous Black?"

"Aurio's grandfather was blasted off the Family Tree when he splurged too much gold on his runaway nephew," Draco said, spreading out his napkin while studying Harry closely, "wreck your brains, Harry, I'm sure you know who that particular nephew was."

Harry froze, brains ticking wildly. "Sirius?" he whispered not long later. "Wait, I think he did tell me about his uncle who helped him out… Alphard, yes, Alphard, now I remember…"

Their order arrived just then, Harry bet there was some remarkable magic involved because not even Mrs Weasley could whip up a main course so fast, delivered by two waiters who looked about their age, wearing stunned looks on their faces, both strikingly attractive like the owner to say the least. One of them nearly toppled the tall glasses and the bottle of wine whilst the other narrowly missed spilling the mouth-watering pastas on the table.

"Sorry, Mr Malfoy…"

"It's Draco, Jake," Draco smiled warmly when the dark haired one filled up the wine glasses. "I assume Aurio did the honours himself, Tate?"

The one called Tate, sporting sandy blond hair nodded with a fond grin.

Harry's heart skipped a beat. This person seating across him was nothing like the Draco he knew, or at least he thought he knew.

"Who are you, stranger?" he demanded as soon as Jake and Tate were out of earshot. "The Draco I remember would never hesitate to lord and boss people whom were beneath him."

Draco prized him a low chuckle. "That's because you know nothing about my personal life at all, Harry," he said, expertly twining the long spaghetti strands around the twines of his silver fork. "Urmm… I miss Aurio's pastas…" he mumbled. "Well, go on, tuck in, I'll fill you in while we eat and tonight you can ask me anything."

Harry needed no further encouragement to dig into the spaghetti drenched in a sauce that was like no other. "My god, this is fantastic…" he breathed as both of them lapsed into a stretch of contented muteness just to savour Aurio's speciality, spearing the generous meatballs among the moist strands with gusto. "So is he still around, Alphard I mean…"

Draco sipped his wine with such an impeccable grace that made Harry slow down his vicious attacks on his delicious spaghetti, inwardly berating his lack of poise in fine dining. "No, too bad he passed on when I was about four, he's the one taking care of his grandson ever since Aurio's parents were murdered in their home under the killing curse, courtesy from Voldermort himself."

A lump formed at the base of Harry's throat. It seemed to him that Voldermort's penchant for making an orphan out of little boys had begun long before the Darklord set his sights on the Potter family.

"Voldermort was never kind to rich and influential Purebloods who openly ridiculed his ways," Draco explained, voice chilled. "It was sheer good fate that Aurio, he was about four then, was staying over with Alphard that night or otherwise he'd be toasted as well. Since then, my granduncle took it upon himself to shield Aurio from the horrors of anything that spelt Voldermort, he blamed himself for letting Iglesias, his deceased bondmate down, by failing to protect Clemen, their only son."

Something struck Harry as really odd. "I'm missing something here, Iglesias was a…."

"Yes, a man," supplied Draco.

As Harry's jaw dropped, bits of spaghetti dangled unattractively past his mouth and he quickly slurped the strands in, diplomatically ignoring Draco's revolted shudders. He didn't have any issues at all with homosexuality or bisexuality or whatsoever, somewhere along the lines he kind of figured out that Dumbledore was in love with Grindelwald. To him it was simply a personal preference, who was he to pass judgement anyway.

"But then, how did…"

"Pregnancy Potion," Draco announced as casually as if he was discussing the weather. "Surprised? Does my ancestors' colourful history scare you, Harry?"

Harry threw him an offended stare. "You wish," he said. "I thought the Potion was made illegal for men because it could be fatal, something about going against the forces of nature."

Draco looked suitably impressed. "When your Gringotts is bursting with too much gold and you love someone with all your heart, everything can be made possible, Harry," he stated simply. "But like you said, it was fatal what more Iglesias being a Muggle with no magical blood in him at all. He died a week after the birthing procedure. Poor Granduncle nearly went berserk."

"You seem to adore Alphard very much," Harry said as he helped himself to more wine after cleaning his plate till he could see his face gleaming back. Said plate soon vanished and he barely had time to marvel at the excellent service of Aurio's restaurant when he heard Draco speak again.

"Granduncle was one of a kind I guess…" It wasn't hard to detect the animated shine in Draco's eyes. "Just being near him would give me the goose-bumps, because I could practically feel waves of his magic dancing around him. My mother adored him too and he simply doted on her, taught her the pros and cons of complicated politics among Purebloods real early."

The mention of Draco's mother put an end to Harry's curiosity about Alphard. "Tell me more about my dear godmother, you're always evading the subject," he pressed.

"Crushing much on my mother?" Draco intoned silkily.

"What?!" cried Harry, casting him a disparaging glare. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."

"Can you ever not fall for something as absurd as that?" Draco chuckled.

Bloody wanker.

"Shut it." Harry grabbed his drink, sipping the liquid with flair, not wanting to be outdone by Draco's princely dining etiquette. "I'm ready for dessert now…"

That was when he heard a feminine chuckle that reminded him instantly of Ginny.

"She's here."

"Who?"

Pushing his chair back in order to get a fuller view of the inside dining area, Harry searched through a sea of faces but couldn't locate her. Could he have imagined it? No, he could recognise her laugh anywhere…

Then he saw her.

Harry's heart pounded against his ribcage as Ginny walked out of the restaurant foyer. She wasn't alone. A tall, dark haired man with legs that seemed to go all the way up to his neck and boasting with enviable athletic physique was striding beside her.

"Oliver…"

Yes, Oliver Wood's arm was delicately tucked in Ginny's and she was smiling up at him with eyes big and dazzling enough to turn heads.

Harry's stomach tightened into a tight knot and he felt rather than saw Draco eyeing him anxiously when the perfect looking pair spotted them and headed straight toward their table.

Oliver was all smiles and beams. "Harry, my man!"

Ginny audibly swallowed as her gaze rested on Harry and then Draco. "Harry? You're back?"

"Hey, Oliver, how's it going?" Harry returned with a too wide grin that made his jaw ache, pointedly ignoring Ginny's searching gaze. "Oh yeah, heard from Ron that you're now Captain in Puddlemere United."

Oliver glowed, apparently not realising the highly discomfiture Ginny at his side. "It's great, really…" he nodded enthusiastically before his gaze connected with Draco's and then promptly scowled. "So you're mates now huh… "

Glowering, Draco stood up. "Apparently yes."

"It's a long history but Draco's on our side all along," Harry offered hurriedly, reveling in Ginny's crestfallen sigh. "I didn't know you two were dating, Oliver," he improvised in a bid to lighten the tensed air between the men, artfully coercing another brilliant beam out. Having left Hogwarts way before him, Oliver couldn't have possibly known that Ginny and Harry were, or most accurately, used to be an item.

"She saved my life in Hogwarts that night," Oliver explained, slanting moony eyes at Ginny who returned the silly look, making Harry's stomach turn. The older man soon wore a warm smile and promptly palmed a friendly clap onto Draco's rigid shoulder blades. "Any mate of Harry's is one of mine too… Draco, right?"

Draco visibly relaxed. "Sure, Oliver, I take it you know my cousin Aurio as well?"

Oliver's smile grew even warmer. "So you're related to crazy Aurio, that's way cool, mate!"

"Oh, you'll be singing a different tune if you really know how crazy he can be…"

While the two men were lost in petty gossips about Draco's crazy cousin and later the talk turned to Quidditch, Ginny threw pleading eyes at him, steering him slightly away from Draco and Oliver.

"Harry, let me explain," she urged softly and the softness of her touch seemed to burn the tender skin on his hand. "Please."

"It's okay Gin, I understand, Oliver's great and I'm happy that you're happy with him," Harry muttered, surprised at how calm he sounded when he was raging a hailstorm inside. "Come on, Draco, I'd like to thank Aurio for this fantastic meal," he called loudly.

Draco took the hint without much trouble. "Let's not encourage him, Harry… You know he's got a huge thing going on for you."

Oliver cackled heartily, oblivious to Ginny's guilt ridden mode.

"Don't forget to watch me play next month alright?"

"Sure mate!"

As Harry watched them leave, an odd feeling, one that he shouldn't be feeling at all and one that he could easily identify as guilt, some displaced sort of a guilty relief washed over him in waves. He wasn't hurt at all that she had fallen in love with someone else. He was merely furious that she kept it from him.

Yes he adored her, adored her to the moon and stars actually, but he had never looked at her the way Oliver was looking at her and right now he was at least certain of one most important thing.

He probably never would.

Ginny being simply Ginny probably had sensed that ages before he did.

Some things were just not meant to be.

"Ginny!"

She stopped and turned.

Harry smiled.

Ginny smiled back.

Draco's glimmer of amusement made his smile falter.

"Not a word, Draco."

"Wasn't saying anything," Draco replied and then calmly added. "Those books made me assume that you're really into her but you letting her go so readily seems contradicting."

"I do care about her!" Harry argued heatedly.

"Answer me this honestly will you," Draco said, resting a pacifying hand around his shoulders, steering him toward the entrance. "I know I was an arse but that time in first year when we met at Madam Malkin's, what actually was going on through your mind?"

Right now, Harry's primary concern was that while Draco had just removed his hand away, the blond's fingers were now circling his wrist in an overly protective mode as they walked. The gesture wasn't repulsive, far from it if truth be told. Oh forget it, he's reading too much into this, he reasoned silently, considering what had transpired between their mothers, Draco may be the closest non-blood relation he ever had for a brother.

"Harry? Are you even listening to me?"

Startled, his voice came out louder than usual. "I was attracted to you."

Heads turned from nearby tables and Harry promptly found himself the recipient of Draco's mirth.

_What did I just say, Gods, what must he think of me…_

"I was drawn to you," Harry amended lowly, silently berating himself. "You felt familiar, you even smelled familiar and…"

At Draco's amused raised brows Harry let his statement hang, blushing furiously, convinced how weird the words must have sounded to the blond.

"Relax, kiddo…" Draco told him with a grin. "You're not the only one who felt it."

The relief was so uplifting that Harry broke out grinning. "You don't know how gratified I am to hear that, Draco," he admitted truthfully. "It's just that we were toddlers back then, don't you find it strange that we could somehow recall each other at all?"

"I'm going home tonight," Draco replied instead, swiping the colourful stringed beads that served as curtains to Aurio's large kitchen. The Adonis lookalike master-chef didn't even notice them above the din, too busy twirling his wand here there everywhere to concoct his sumptuous dishes, shouting orders to his helpers. "Father's been asking for me."

The bubble of happiness that had unknowingly nested in him for the past two weeks ever since Draco came to stay was fast deflating.

"Of course," Harry nodded, willing away that sinking sensation at the pit of his chest. "You didn't answer my question, Draco," he muttered, keeping his gaze fixed on the huge fridge at the corner of the steaming but miraculously spotless kitchen.

"I will answer that when we meet again tomorrow evening." Draco pointedly tilted Harry's chin up to meet his eyes before slowly withdrawing his hand away. "How I wish I don't have to go, there's plenty we need to discuss yet."

"Don't make it sound so serious though," Harry chided teasingly, his mood rising when he saw that Draco apparently held the same sentiment. "It's not as if we're going to stop hanging out together."

"Harry! Welcome to my second abode!"

Aurio's cheery voice had nothing to do with the coils of warmth that came creeping back into his chest. It was the way Draco was smiling at him and the smile, so bright and yet so soft had sailed straight into his heart.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

Daniel could barely contain his excitement. Out of the blue his parents had suggested for a weekend hiking cum camping trip. They're picking him up right after school tomorrow and had insisted in keeping the venue a secret until then. Just call it intuition or whatever but he swore he knew that this was going to be an outing like no other.

He could feel it in his bones.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

Tom was certain he wouldn't be able to sleep a wink tonight. For some unknown reason that he wasn't about to complain, his mom and dad was suddenly interested to get in touch with nature. His brothers may laugh but he knew this was going to be the one trip he would remember till the end of his days.

His instinct was almost always right.

* * *

~TBC~


	5. Twinkle-Twinkle Little Stars

**Magic**

**~Twinkle-Twinkle Little Stars ~**

* * *

"Don't go wandering off too far into the trees, boys!"

"Tom dear, don't let our baby out of your sight!"

Daniel cringed. "Mom! Please!"

"It's tough being an only child huh?" Tom offered out kindly as they walked away from their camp. "Your folks are cool but honestly they really need to loosen up on you a bit."

Daniel puffed out a hefty sigh, grateful that at least there was one person who didn't think of him as a petulant, needy baby that needed to be coddled for days on end.

"Yours are even cooler, if not for your mom convincing my mom I don't think she'd let me go out for a walk with you," he nodded with a small smile, adjusting the strap of his Eastpak as he sped up his short limbs in order to keep up with his lengthy ones. "I heard you're mad about fishing, Tom?"

"I'm in love with it," Tom amended with an infectious grin and Daniel found himself immediately at ease with the jovial boy. So much at ease that he didn't mind Tom taking a firm grasp of his smaller hand as they entered the forest. It was so bright because the moon was really big tonight that they didn't even need their flashlights. "So what are you into, Daniel?"

Daniel considered a list of non-existing interesting hobbies to compete with Tom's exciting one and then thought better of it.

"Right now nothing impressive actually, I just read books whenever I'm tired of playing video games," he said, glancing at Tom to see his reaction upon hearing about his boring past time. "Lame huh?"

"Reading is never lame, no way, that's way cool for a boy your age, Daniel." Tom's face lighted up with real interest and Daniel felt his insides lighting up like a light bulb, pleased that Tom thought of his hobby to be way cool. "So what are you reading now?"

"Harry Potter and the…"

"Philosopher's Stone?" Tom finished up for him with another huge grin that made his soft blue eyes shine. "I'm reading that too, Daniel, in fact I've lost count of how many times I've read it, I'm in love with it!"

"You too?" Daniel exclaimed happily, if Tom who looked to be a really cool teen loved to read his favourite book and was in love with it too, it meant that Daniel was as cool as he was. "Most of the boys in my class ragged me hard about it, saying that reading is for wimps and magic is a whole load of hogwash."

Tom turned grave eyes at him. "Is anyone bullying you at school?" he asked fiercely and then snarled at a gnarled root that had almost tripped him down. "Go on, tell me."

Instead of being put off by Tom's abrupt change of mood and what looked to be an overzealous show of concern, Daniel felt himself glowing. It was not okay for his dear mom and dad to fawn all over him but it felt okay and warm when it was Tom who was doing it.

"No, course not," he shook his head fervently, careful to mind his steps as the trees now seemed closely rooted together, marvelling at the refreshing scent coming from the rainforests around them. "I go to a good school, no one is lording anyone over there, Tom."

"Good."

He felt Tom's free hand ruffle his thick hair briefly and that felt okay too. Daniel hated it whenever any one of the older girls in his school did that to him, crooning about how cute he was. Ughhh. So gross.

"Wait, did they mention that magic was hogwash?" Tom spoke again, indignant ringing in his tone. "I can't believe some people could be such ignorant fools."

Oh gosh, if Daniel thought Tom was cool earlier on, this was even way, way cooler of him. "So you believe in magic then, Tom?"

"Magic is real, Daniel," Tom replied, gazing dreamily at the moon above them. "Tales of Merlin and King Arthur and dragons wouldn't have made it into the bookstores if they didn't have some sort of solid basis to begin with don't you think?"

Daniel promptly decided Tom was going to be his most favourite friend from now on. Anyone who had faith in magic deserved a special place in his life. "I'm glad we met, Tom, I believe in magic too."

"You're really cool for someone your age you know that?" Tom teased with another furious ruffling of his hair. "You have so much hair, Daniel, you put me to shame, I should have more, I'm older you know."

Daniel barked out laughing and couldn't help liking him any more than he already did. Tom always knew to say the right things.

"Look, Tom, there's a trail!" he bounced excitedly, tugging his companion to move forward. The trail was narrow but bright, all thanks to the moonlight. "Come on, let's check it out."

"No way, not a good idea," Tom responded sternly.

Daniel slanted the older boy his best crestfallen eyes. "Please, Tom, I've never had anything close enough to be called a real adventure," he pleaded convincingly, easy, because he really wanted to explore the trail. "I mean you've had camping trips and fishing trips with your brothers without your parents supervising you endlessly, I could only dream about it and…"

Tom looked down into Daniel's woe bygone face, glanced at his watch before glancing at the trail ahead. He knew Tom was torn in between the responsibility of keeping him safe and obliging him to have his first ever real adventure.

"Sharon, I can't believe you actually did that..."

"Believe it, Marcia… my wife is capable of anything…"

Daniel did a mental somersault for his timely good fortune when the sound of their parents' chatters and laughter came drifting in. Even though it felt like they have been walking forever, it was apparent they both hadn't gone very far yet. They must have been walking around in circles all this while.

"Okay, kiddo," Tom relented with a sigh. "Let's go check that trail."

"You're the best, Tom!" Daniel whooped with joy. "Don't worry, I've got a compass and whistle and plenty of Powerbars somewhere in my bag."

"Smart boy, I like the way you think."

Daniel grinned proudly when Tom messed the top of his head, quietly lamenting that he really was going to miss Tom very much once the weekend ended.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

"You really are taking your own sweet time you know," Draco nagged at Harry as they climbed up the steep trail into a narrow path that led deeper into the rainforest. "I don't remember you being this slow, Harry."

"I didn't sign up for this, Draco, I only wanted to eat Aurio's bloody cake," Harry grumbled, breathless from the physical exertion required by the steep incline. "Why can't we just Apparate to the spot?"

Draco hid his smirk when Harry paused and took a couple of long seconds to breathe deeply before indulging himself a huge swig of the mineral water from the plastic bottle. "It's worth the climb," he promised. "Who knows it'll heal that gaping wound in your poor wounded heart and put the zest back in your deflating stamina."

As expected, the bait hooked and Harry put on a burst of speed. "There is nothing that needs healing and I'm in top form just so you know."

"Want me to levitate you?"

"Oh be quiet you."

With a fleeting, crooked smile, Draco ploughed up with grace and skill even while balancing the silver tin box with one hand, a special treat from Aurio. Better hurry, he thought, lengthening his steps, grinned when Harry muttered out a foul bad word at his sudden gain of speed.

"Whoa…."

A chuckle flew from him when Harry stopped abruptly as they staggered into a clearing, astonished by the beauty that surrounded them. Under the moonbeam, which seemed to torch exceptionally bright as day tonight, the forest they had just left was dense with a variety of evergreens. Huge limbs were draped in mossy green blankets that hung down so far they touched the spongy grounds and wildflowers carpeted the earth.

"You're right," Harry murmured, tilting his head back in a form of worship. "This place is worth it."

"This isn't what I wanted you to see," Draco said, resting his hand on the curve of Harry's shoulder. "Are you up for the trek?"

"Bring it on," Harry nodded and a second later was seen peeling Draco's arm off his shoulder on the pretext of doing a series of back-breaking stretches but not before Draco noticed the deep flush suffusing on his already flushed up cheeks.

Draco could only guess why. The touch was clearly making Harry uncomfortable.

Again.

Oh the irony, when that night under the star they were literally conjoined like a pair of Siamese twins and Harry had conveniently forgotten that, he mused.

"Follow me."

They hiked for another twenty minutes, Harry chattering non-stop about the perfect weather and Voldermort and Aurio and whatnots until they eventually came to another large plain of green moss of neatly grown grass. Gigantic toadstools that spread as big as white umbrellas littered the clearing amidst gaily hued flowers of the wilds.

"Is this Fairyland?" Harry cried in amazement.

Draco laughed out loud when Harry gingerly poked the nearest umbrella with his itchy fingers as they walked to where a cluster of rocks in all shapes and sizes, lined as though fencing the perimeter of the plain.

"I wanted to take you to that rock," he said, pointing to the largest boulder, raised much higher than the rest. "Come on."

"To that rock?" Harry repeated incredulously as he tottered hurriedly along, carefully footing on the smaller rocks that acted like odd shape steps to ascend to the biggest one. "You dragged me all the way up here to see a rock?"

"Not see, sit on it."

"And here I thought Luna was the only strange one," Harry snickered the moment both of them were perched comfortably on top of the rock. "Okay so what are we doing here again?"

"Look down."

Harry did and then stiffened upon realising that they were at the edge of a cliff that fell sharply into the water below. "You did that on purpose," he glared but in a matter of seconds was lost to admire the view of bright green waves, contrasted by the brilliant blue skies. "I see why you brought us here…"

With a grin, Draco lifted the tin cover off the box. The sweet aroma coming from the rich chocolate cake inevitably pledged a change of allegiance to Harry's attention. Out of the corner of his eyes, Draco saw him count the eighteen silver coloured candles planted on the cake. The wicks soon sparked into silver and green flames. Aurio really outdid himself this time, he thought fondly of his cousin.

"Why didn't you tell me it's your birthday today?" Harry shifted guiltily. "I didn't get you anything or the least I could do was not to whine all the way up here."

"You're being a good sport about all this," Draco replied, smiling at him. "Besides, I'm eighteen and not eight, Harry, gaily wrapped up presents are so passé. Anyway I brought us here just so that you could witness one of the rarest wonders of magic."

"Rarest wonders of magic?" echoed Harry. "What is it?"

"Tempus…" Draco whispered instead and time chimed, it's almost time to his birth hour. Five, four, three, two… "Look up…"

Harry fleeted his gaze up then straightened in wonder and surprise. The night sky was so heavy with stars, hundreds of them that seemed to sag down and touch the waters. "Oh my sweet god…" he breathed, sagging heavily against him.

"Worth all the sweat?" Draco teased. "And yes this place is magic and so are the stars, the trail we just hiked is only visible to magical folks but only those who happens to have their birthdays would be able to bring forth those stars."

Harry let out a long "Wicked..." and then added laughingly. "Quick blow your candles, don't waste those magical stars, I bet all your wishes will come true tonight, Draco."

"Wishes are for children, Harry."

"Oh go on, I want to eat that cake!"

_I wish for me and you to never part no matter what …_

Now where had that come from, Draco wondered blinkingly, and as he snuffed out the candles in a single mighty blow, a breeze blew in through the serene meadow. The trees whispered and the haunting sound combined with the scents of rainforests drifted over to them.

Lost in the magic, Harry threw his head back and tried to take it all in. His face was carved with pristine yet… sensual lines and his eyes had brightened as bright as the stars before it darkened with emotion.

_Dray! Dray! Dray!_

Chirpy cackles of glee and green eyes that shone like the finest emeralds and hair blacker than the darkest night fleeted into the ears and eyes of his mind. The delightful, bubbly face had later crumpled into tears when it was time to say goodbye and that inevitably birthed an overwhelming fierce boost of need to keep the boy safe.

Alive.

Even then he _knew_ the boy was in danger.

It was all coming back to him now.

He was fully aware that it was virtually impossible for his memory to backpedal that far but logics be damned. After that mind boggling incident at the Locked Room, nothing should really make his jaw hang anymore.

"Arry… my Arry…"

Harry turned and when he did, a lock of his dark hair fell over his forehead, and on impulse Draco gently pushed it away. An unexpected tremor, like tiny jolts of electricity danced on his skin when he let his hand slide down and linger a wee bit too long on Harry's rapidly reddening cheek.

A sensation he recognised only too well.

Need.

Want.

The prelude to desire.

This was so not right.

Instantly he tried to reclaim back that heart-warming feel he felt only moments earlier but what came by was this aching intensity in his heart instead of the innocent kinship they shared when they were mere toddlers.

"I… Errr… I…Urmm…"

Draco couldn't resist a brief glance upwards, half expecting the star studded skies to fall. Since when had he ever thought of Harry, a grown up Harry to fit into a description spelled irresistibly cute? Never before had he seen Harry looking so displaced with this endearing mess of stutters.

And no one had ever been close to cute in Draco's personal dictionary before.

_I shouldn't, I really shouldn't…_

Yet that didn't stop Draco from bringing his free hand to Harry's hair, threading his fingers through its thickness, marvelling at the texture which felt like pure silk despite its static outlook.

"Don't you remember us, Harry?"

Time seemed to stand still as his eyes sought and held Harry's who seemed determined not to break eye contact even though he was promoting the colour of Hogwarts express on his face, ears and neck.

The poor bloke, Draco sighed, apart from those numerous passionate kisses with Ginny and Cho plus a fortnightly self-indulged hand job in the showers, no one, not even Ron had seen Harry go threadbare before. He should know, he had placed his own tracing charms on Harry, with good intention of course, but the trace broke once the hero turned seventeen. A pity he couldn't match his mother's skills to let it run beyond that.

Wait, maybe Harry did get it on with Ginny…. No way, the redhead bombshell had surrendered to Oliver's charm right after the battle, her loss, he gloated, refusing to acknowledge the smug bliss that surfaced with the thought.

"Dray…."

"You do remember me."

Right now, he could almost hear a litany of uncertainties going through Harry's mind. A man's tender attention was clearly out of his league but Draco wasn't about to be fooled one bit by Harry's awkwardly shy.

The smile may promise innocence but those blinking green eyes were speaking a different language altogether.

Harry Potter may lack experience but he was no simpleton.

Those books didn't serve Harry enough justice when it came to the deep thinking arena.

Right now Harry's mind was in chaos.

He wasn't about to drag the chaos out of Harry yet.

Joanne Rowlings might not have a clue but down here everyone, including Harry, knew of Draco's colossal bad arse reputation of constantly changing bed partners.

All of them were males.

Instincts told him too that the reason why Harry guarded his chastity was because Harry didn't want his first time with anyone to be a mere experiment of casual lust.

Casual lust was something Draco had grown so accustomed to and the idea of being tied to merely one person at this raring age was wholly ridiculous. Besides Harry was displaying healthy signs of being receptive to further… No, no way, his conscience whinged, Harry wasn't just anybody to him. Never one to bother about his sodding reputation, it suddenly mattered the world to him what Harry may think of him right now if he were to cross that line.

No, he had to nip this in the bud, for both their future comforts he had to.

"Do you remember this?" Draco peeled his other hand off Harry's warm cheek only to join his other one, embarking on a journey to tussle Harry's already gloriously messy hair. "Remember when I played with your hair like this?" he continued with well-practiced ease. "Oh go on, say something, Harry… you're set to embarrass me aren't you."

He breathed when Harry's mouth tweaked wider at both corners, his shy, tight-lipped smile fast evolving into his usual brazen grin. "Okay, alright, I remember so now can we have the cake please?"

"You really have no sentimental bone in your body," Draco scolded albeit indulgingly and with several flourish twirl of his Hawthorn, said mouth-watering cake was sliced into quarters with an invisible knife and served neatly on two silver saucers with matching silver forks.

Another twirl of his wand rendered their shared bottle of water to brim full again.

"I could never quite manage to bring anything out of thin air you know," Harry admitted grudgingly as he indulged himself. "Shite, this is fantastic…"

"I know."

Draco contented himself with languorous chews of his birthday cake, resisting a massive mad urge to lick some of the icing off Harry's lips, quietly absorbing every tiny detail on his face. Well-defined jaw, the bridge of his nose was set just right but it was Harry's eyes that had always captured his attention, the way those greens could darken and lighten at will to match his moods.

And mind, Draco hadn't even begun elaborating on those tantalising mouth yet.

Such pure torture, he lamented wistfully. His Slytherin mates were right about one thing. Even though deprived of height, Harry was the finest looking resident in the Gryffindor domain.

"So what do you think we should do next?" Harry sounded, dispersing Draco's internal rambling about his handsome persona. "Looks like Joanne's take on the epilogue didn't turn up right after all."

Draco really had no complains about that.

"Ron fire-called me today…" His mouth went dry when Harry wriggled out of his chambray shirt only to reveal a snugly fitted white, see-through undershirt that effectively showed off his pink nubs. At Harry's quizzical stare Draco quickly averted his eyes away from Harry's enticing chest and casually continued, inwardly berating his wayward gaze. "He and Hermione had been diligently scouring Muggle bookshops and there's not a single book about us…"

"He called on you and not me?" Harry interrupted.

Draco sent him a vibrant smile. "Afraid I'd steal your best mate away with my charms?"

Harry's return smile was even more buoyant. "Adoring yourself much? What else did he say?"

"I think your mate has potentials to join those elite Unspeakables," Draco answered seriously. "He read the books you sent him last night and sort of just skimped a few lines here and there in every one, claiming that while certain events connected with what went on here in our lives, the books are like fabricated, tamed, censored versions…"

"Fabricated, tamed, censored versions?" Harry repeated questioningly.

"His exact words," Draco shrugged. "Think about it, that last battle was far gorier, there was blood and dismembered body parts flying…"

Harry shuddered. "I'd rather you skip those parts, Draco, just shoot to the matter please."

Draco nodded knowingly, the scenes were not pretty. "Ron's point is," he began again. "We are not exactly who or what or how we are portrayed to be in those books," he said, sighing when Harry fidgeted, a famous sign when impatience struck. "Look at Ron, your mate had been sadly underrated in those pages, his wand skills and his brains are nothing to be sniffed at and we all know he isn't such a failure with witches, tall, good-looking and brash too…"

"Thinking of adding him to your endless line of conquests?" Harry shot in sweetly.

Draco chose to ignore that of course. "Don't you see?" he insisted. "This Joanne woman, she wrote as if Gryffindors and Slytherins were at war all the time which isn't even close to the truth, sure there's competition but we do mingle and talk and date and she apparently didn't know that Pansy, Blaise, Theo and half of the seniors in our House chose to stay simply to defend Hogwarts and you, Harry."

"Yes I've thought about that, very nostalgic and I'm very grateful, poor Par… er... Pansy, Joanne totally wronged her," Harry admitted with a rueful smile. "I still don't see what you're getting at," he reminded as he devoured his second helping of Aurio's cake. "I assume Ron did make his point during what looked to be a lengthy discussion between you two?"

Harry wasn't far from wrong, once they got over the initial stiffness, Ron couldn't stop talking.

"We both derived at a point," Draco corrected, allowing himself some credit, silently willing Harry to stop his exotic tongue movement of licking the chocolate to clean up the mess on his lips. "Those books, they're definitely from another Muggle world and Joanne may be writing it out of pure inspiration, impressive imagination if you ask me. Only that she didn't realise we do exist."

Harry's fork lapsed in mid-air, appearing to be deep in thought. "I do grasp the concept of a parallel universe and the mentioned veil in the Prophecy could quite possibly be a gateway to another world," he said after a long pause, settling the half-finished cake down. "The question is why? Why us? What are we supposed to do? Is there going to be a threat to the world, the worlds for that matter once the veil is torn? Why did the Dragon send those books to us?"

That last bit sent Draco reeling. "What makes you think it's the Dragon?" he demanded.

"Who else could it be?" Harry interposed, eyes gleaming with a brand of intelligence so astute it was frankly scary. "Are we even real in the first place or are we just figments, the distorted figments of Joanne's overly vast imagination that somehow came alive when she poured her heart and soul over her supposed to be fiction characters?"

Draco remained quiet, even though Dumbledore once claimed that the universe was an intricate playground of endless possibilities, the theory seemed too far-fetched to him and he was about to air his thoughts when Harry let out one hysterical laugh.

"Maybe the Dragon wants us to do something, save our world from crumbling into non-existence again that's why he dropped those books on us to make us realise that we're not really flesh and blood…"

Draco did the only thing he could think of to put Harry back on track again, by connecting his fist onto Harry's magnificent jawline.

"Oi!" Harry spat, fury and shock, mostly shock evident in his expression as he spun around to face him again. "What the hell was that?"

"Is that proof enough that you're real?" Draco returned, smirking when Harry was seen manoeuvring his jaw back and forth, glaring as though he would love to return the favour in spares. "Honestly, Harry, sometimes I do wonder what goes on inside that head of yours."

"Prat," Harry growled as he conducted a more thorough examination of his bruised jaw. "Damn, I almost forgot what a mean punch you can throw."

Dragon theory and possible Prophecy mission forgotten, Draco instantly reached out to sooth the sore spot, regretting the bruise he had inflicted on Harry. "Sorry, did I hurt you?"

Harry's eyes rushed to his but only for a moment. Then he grinned before batting Draco's hand away. "What am I, a girl? It's not like as though we've never done this sort of thing before."

"Right," Draco grinned easily back and ruffled Harry's hair playfully. "I almost forgot you have nerves made of steel."

Laughing away, Harry ducked out from underneath Draco's touch and tried to smooth his hair back only to have the strands spring up to its usual inelegance. "At least Joanne was spot on about one thing though…" Harry grumbled. "My hair will never cease to be perpetually mortifying."

"You're easily the best looking bloke around here so stop mulling," Draco chastised.

"Second to you I'm sure."

"You think so, Harry?"

Despite his earlier honourable resolves and unravelling the Prophecy should really rank top on his list of priorities right now, Draco let his eyes settle onto Harry's mouth, whisking the wily black strands from his face. At the touch, he heard Harry took a deep breath, gaining confidence when Harry didn't flinch away from him, thus it embolden him to cup his cheek.

Harry's eyes momentarily drifted shut and he laid his own hand over Draco's. "What are you doing?" He heard Harry ask the moment those green jewels slipped up again. "What's going on, Draco?"

Emotion thickened the air and the need that washed over him was frighteningly primitive. It didn't escape his attention either that Harry was no longer blushing bashfully like the virgin he was. Instead Harry was now was intently studying him with an unwavering gaze, a gaze he had no problems identifying.

A gaze that translated along the lines of - 'Please don't mess with me if you know what's good for you'.

_Do not let your feelings show too much less you wish to scare him off…_

With a pang he understood what his mother meant. Just how long exactly had she seen this coming. How stupid he was when the obvious was so glaring right now. Harry was scared because he too was aware of the attraction that shouldn't have been there in the first place.

"Tell me, Harry," Draco sighed, inhaling the scent of his after-shave and the not unpleasant effects of the night's hard labour to climb all the way up here. "Is there never a point in your life when you stopped demanding for answers?"

"Not when it comes to you, Draco," Harry returned drily, as he unceremoniously dropped his hand, prompting Draco to inch his away as well. "I may be dubbed as a sodding saint but I'm not that naive, Draco, so what's going on here?"

_I think I'm in love with you… _

"Nothing, I just couldn't help remembering how I used to smother you in that playpen," Draco shrugged with an innocent beam, mentally cursing the untimely emergence of ego the size of Everest that prevented him from admitting his feelings and quickly sought to improvise. "Those icky kisses I gave you made you scream."

Well bloody hell, so much for improvising, he cursed again, watching Harry's knee wobbling gaze that could make grown men cringe, turned incredulous before turning into one of… disappointment.

And no small amount of disappointment at that.

Lovely, now was his chance.

"Don't worry, I'm not out to ruin your Saint-like virtue, Harry, you're too important to me."

What the hell was that? He had countless of flings and could be considered a pro in the art of charming men and yet he kept saying the wrong things to the only one person whom he wanted most.

"Oh well," Harry hummed and Draco could see him struggling to morph the disappointment into determined acceptance, this was so not good, not good at all. "Now I get it, just like a friend, nothing more? Or maybe even kindred mates?"

FUCK NO! "Sort of."

Harry let out an audible sigh and Draco practically heard Harry telling himself to let go…. Oh no, oh no.

_You started this so get rid of your ego and tell him you love him…._

Draco opened his mouth the same time he heard Harry say, "For all it's worth, you're important to me too and yes kindred mates is good with me."

Draco wished someone would just Avada Kedavra him right now, him and his mountain-full of blasted egos. Harry had graciously given him the chance to rectify his blunders and he blew it.

Shite, he needed strategy, new strategies without abandoning his deeply rooted egos and he needed it fast. "Harry, you've proven that you've got plenty of brains in you," he said, lacing their fingers together, half leaning into him, gluing on his most irresistible smile for maximum effect. "What do you think the Prophecy meant by the two Saviours holding a love so deep that they never failed to move the heavens?"

Harry appeared starstruck.

Draco inclined his head nearer a fraction. "Harry?"

Startled by the sudden nearness Harry started to stutter. "Urmm… Err... I... Sorry come again, what were you asking…"

Just then, a loud sniffling was heard from somewhere behind the rows of dense rainforests.

"Don't need to bawl, I'm sure this trail will end soon, Daniel…"

"Who says I'm bawling, Tom….It's just this bothersome cold…"

How bloody, bloody, bloody untimely. Only hopeless and foolish and god damn irresponsible parents would let their children run free and unguarded at this time of the night and ruin this most important moment of his life.

"Draco, did you hear that?"

"Yes, I heard it, sounds like lost boys to me…"

Hurriedly they climbed their way down, and so typical of Harry, he missed his footing and would have kissed the mossy grass if Draco hadn't caught his arm in time.

"Thanks."

"How you saved us all is beyond me."

"Shut it," Harry said as he stomped forward, calling out. "Anyone lost out there?"

"Just follow the trail boys, we'll get you out of here in no time," Draco assured loudly.

Triumphant shouts echoed back and less than a minute later, two boys, one was lean built and the other practically a midget with a face not even the devil could say no to, emerged from the rainforest and stepped into the clearing.

"Do you see what I'm seeing, Draco?" Harry mumbled first.

"My eyesight has yet to fail me, Harry," Draco muttered.

He could easily tell that the taller, cheery-looking one was older and very, very protective of the little one, gripping his hand tightly. The angel faced boy was whispering something in rapid procession to his taller companion as they walked, who in return, nodded a few dozen times back, apparently affirming what he had just heard.

As they drew in nearer and nearer still, Draco heard Harry's breath came out in shallow gasps next to him. It didn't surprise him one bit that his own breath appeared to be strangled as well.

Even though the colour of the boys' hair was wrong, one was the darkest brown, whilst the other sandy; and the young one staring anxiously at them had a set of ocean blue eyes and the other a few shades lighter, every other feature that graced their young faces were startlingly identical.

Not to each other but to him and Harry.

Both boys were sizing them up with equal rapt.

Then both gasped when their stares travelled downwards to the clenched wands in his and Harry's hands.

"Tom, real life wizards…" Angel-faced boy whispered.

"Told you they exist, Daniel…" Cheery-looking Tom muttered back.

Doing his best not to yelp out loud at Harry's discreet but very deliberate and painful poke at his side, urging him to fix their current dilemma, Draco suddenly recalled something his mother told him when he first came to this place.

The trail may be invisible to Muggles but sometimes it would make an exception to those who truly believed in magic, especially those overly curious, innocent children.

* * *

_*D*R*A*R*R*Y*F*E*L*T*C*L*I*F*F*E*_

* * *

The tall figure slowed down his brisk march down the long straight driveway, only to offer one of the majestic looking peacocks a brief, incredulous glance before he picked his pace up again.

"This is the outcome of too much gold…" He shook his head as he walked.

The front door of the magnificent manor house creaked open even before he reached it and once there the owner of the extravagant premises held out her hand.

He took it.

"Minister Kingsley," Narcissa greeted politely as she led him inside, and after only a slight hesitation brought him straight to the large drawing room. "Have a seat, Minister, to what pleasure do I owe this visit?"

Kingsley snorted as he pulled out a chair. "I'd appreciate if you'd dispense with all the formalities, Narcissa," he smiled, knowingly, full of meaning, as he settled himself comfortably into the cushioned seat. "I've always wanted to meet Dumbledore's closest, most trusted ally, his dearest confidante who also happens to be that one, unnamed, most powerful, second only to him and truly elusive member of the Order, to personally thank her for putting aside her own personal agendas for the greater good."

Narcissa's placid blue eyes flickered but it was more of a touch and go.

"Now, now, Kingsley, who's being stiflingly formal now," she chided teasingly, as she gracefully slid into the chair across him. "I think this is going to be a very long visit?"

Kingsley's expression was wary when he nodded.

Narcissa closed her eyes and when she opened them again, the long polished table was promptly laden with two mugs of steaming hot coffee and a big plate full of appetising, bite size sandwiches. A jar of chocolate cookies stood nearby.

Kingsley's jaw dropped.

"Don't be shy," Narcissa smiled, gesturing him to the food. "I'm sure your breakfast of toasted bread and tasteless omelette isn't enough to sustain you all day, having spent too much time looking high and low for the lost Prophecy, which has somehow mysteriously reappeared in its rightful place this evening, and you don't even care if I was the one who put it back because your dire concern is only to find out what the Prophecy entails."

The room may as well take the role of a funeral parlour for one a full silent minute before the latest and youngest Minister for Magic was able to regain his composure and work his mouth to a more appropriate chore.

"I see now why you've managed to remain inconspicuous all these years," he grinned, reaching out for a sandwich. "You really are something to talk about."

Narcissa laughed as she joined him.

* * *

TBC


End file.
